Cozumel MX

With its magnificent jungles, white-sand beaches, and the surrounding turquoise sea, there’s no doubt of the richness of Cozumel as a top travel destination. But there’s one thing that besides the above suggested is the seal to a special visit: Mexican cuisine. With its combinations of spices, flavors, variations, and coloring, Mexican food remains a true obsession. This delightful cuisine is the fastest-growing ethnic food category in the U.S., second simply to Asian fare. Mexico presented the world to corn, tomato, cocoa, and Chiles. What most individuals recognize as Mexican food outside of Mexico can be broken down into tacos, burritos, nachos, and quesadillas. But there is a broader variety of dishes that are staples in popular Mexican cuisine and a must when you visit Cozumel.

Pozole

This soup-like Mexican dish appears in many variations depending on the region it comes from, but the primary elements include corn kernels and pork or chicken stewed in a savory broth. We can discover the distinctiveness and of the dish in the corn. This large corn called Cacahuacintle is pre-cooked in a mild blend of water and calcium oxide. Once the pre-cook corn is ready, they are cooked in a bouillon-water solution once again. When the corn mushrooms, they add the meat to the kettle. Here is where the varieties occur. In some parts of the region, they include a red chili sauce along with the meat. Some other recipes include the sauce later once it is on the plate. Once it is served condiments are then placed on the table. These can include lettuce, onion, oregano, lime juice, and chili powder or sauce. They considered corn to be a spiritual plant; therefore Pozole was made on special or religious celebrations. In pre-Columbian times, the recipe comprised dog meat. This dog called Xoloitzcuintle was raised merely as a source of meat. Fortunately, some rituals are withdrawn and now the dish is just made with either pork or chicken.

Cochinita Pibil

They credit the Yucatan Peninsula with being the originators of this next traditional Mexican food. However, critics have insisted that this savory dish originated from the mestizo Maya. Pibil is a process of cooking meat. The word pib in Mayan means buried. The conventional way to cook Cochinita Pibil was to bury the meat in a pit with a fire at the bottom. They marinate the meat in acidic citrus juice, coloring it with annatto seeds. They roll up the meat in banana leaves and it is slow-roasted. This slow cooking time tenderizes the meat. The key to the technique is the use of extracts of Seville or sour oranges which gives the meat its extraordinary color.

Mole

With over 10 variations, this popular Mexican dish appears in an array of colors and tastes. Despite the variations in the making, the mole dish is one of the most common Mexican dishes in the country. Its essentials are a chili powder (Chile) and chocolate sauce served over meat. The subtle combination of spice and sweet makes for an extraordinary sensation. The most popular and well-known mole is mole poblano, emerging in the city of Puebla. With an average of 20 elements, it can include dry chili peppers, almonds, chocolate, and spices to taste. This mix of particular flavors makes a sweet sauce with a slight touch of spice. Also very typical and recognized is the mole from the state of Oaxaca, mole negro, or black mole that encompasses over 30 ingredients. There is likewise red mole, yellow mole, and green mole. They roast the elements, prepared into a fine powder and blended with water—resulting in a heavy sauce. The name “mole” comes from the Nahuatl mulli or molli, meaning sauce or mixture. Although the blends have emerged from the original Mesoamerican mulli, one part has persisted: the consistency and the use of chili powder.

With 32 states stretching from the Mexico-U.S. border to the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, the diversity in Mexico’s culinary experience is usually painful to pin-point in a few words. And even still we encourage you to seek these three different Mexican dishes, when visiting Mexico don’t neglect to devour a substantial plate of delicious tacos.