Quote:
Originally Posted by Sundae Girl
Crikey me.
Being very English . . . I taught my Mum how to cook Mexican food. And you'd fall about laughing if you saw what we called Mexican . . . sour cream will serve equally well in this recipe. It's a flavour of India rather than an authentic curry (like my mexican) so use whatever works. I don't know about India, but sour cream is still an unusual item in this country, so yoghurt is the default. I can't see that there's an awful lot of difference here.
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Though you might look for the zingiest yoghurt you can lay hold of. Or try a German delicatessen for the sour cream, as the Germans favor the stuff. A Middle Eastern market might be a source for
Lebni, which tastes like yoghurt crossed with sour cream and finishes with a hint of butteriness.
If your Mum likes chicken soup, introduce her to Mexico's
Caldo Tlalpeño. There are links in The Latest Recipe Thread, or you can google 'em up for yourself -- there are ten thousand little variations. A peppery, clear broth chicken soup, it's Mexican Grandmama's Jewish Penicillin, and will surely cure what ails. If you can't get chickpeas, lima beans will do. Sliced fresh avocado and fresh jalapeño peppers give it added depth. Slice in a couple of serranos or similarly hot peppers for that high-explosive effect if you want not merely a cure for what ails, but to fuel what made the preacher dance.
Other things that will ramp up the authenticity of your Mexican-iana would be the chili powder in the Recipe Thread again -- and you can play with the proportions to control its heat. Main thing for
sabor auténtico is not to skimp on the cumin. Not enough cumin is where chili may often go wrong -- just toss in some more.
For stew/soups like menudo, whose active principles are peppers and tripe and beef with broth, sprinkle on the Mexican oregano with a fairly liberal hand. Mexican oregano differs somewhat from the Mediterranean variety. The usual condiments for this ethnically formidable dish are nigh-equal sprinklings of red pepper, Mexican oregano, and minced onion. It's a popular weekend dish around here, apparently esteemed for its restorative properties after a hangover. Or so they say.