I realized this week how much I want some of my mom’s home-cooked meals. I have contemplated going home for a couple of hours just so that my mom can make me some delicious Mexican food. Since I don’t know when I’ll next be home, I decided to share four of the best authentic Mexican dishes that you must try! Don’t always get tacos; branch out and try something different!!
Pozole
Pozole is my absolute favorite dish! I can eat 4 or 5 plates of it when my mom makes it. When I came back from abroad, this was the first thing that my mom had made for me. Pozole is a hominy stew and you usually add chicken, cabbage, onions, lime, and salsa to it (adding these ingredients to your plate is always optional).
Tamales
For me tamales are better when you reheat them and have them the next day. I know I am being biased here, but my mom’s tamales are probably the best tamales ever! Tamales are made from a dough that is corn based, and put into a corn husk. My mom makes two different kinds. In the first kind, she puts red spicy sauce and chicken (they can also be made with a green spicy sauce). In the second kind, she puts cheese and jalapeno peppers.
Carnitas
The best part of a Sunday morning is walking into the kitchen and finding carnitas with warm tortillas on the table. Carnitas are made by braising or simmering pork in oil. It takes three to four hours to make.
Mole
Mole is very authentic dish from Puebla and Oaxaca (I would say it’s more of a dish from Oaxaca since that is where my family is from). There are two kinds of mole: the spicy and the sweet kind. Mole is a sauce that is made using various chili peppers, spices, bread, and chocolate. It tastes better when someone makes it from scratch versus using the premade kind from the store. It is usually served on chicken with a side of rice and beans. (This is also a dish that is commonly served at important events such as birthdays and weddings).
Dig in!