/ck/ - Food & Cooking

>>5147240
I'm not mexican but I live in southern california and I eat a lot of mexican food. I might be able to help, but they have so much food. It would be easier if you told me what you wanted to make.

>>5147242
I have literally no understanding of Mexican food, but tacos and burritos would be a good start. Thank you!

>>5147240
have you focused on making sauce?
A good taco can be composed of any kind of meat on a corn tortilla. The key is the sauce.
There's a million different kinds of sauces so I'll just tell you how to make the most common one.

Green Sauce:
4-5 green tomatoes
1 serrano pepper [if you can't handle hot foods you can use half a serrano pepper]
1/4 small white onion
2 twigs of coriander [optional]
salt

Put the tomatoes in a medium pot and add water until they're fully submerged. Put the pot on high heat until the water boils and the tomatoes become a dull green colour. Add the onion, pepper and coriander, let boil for another while.
Put all that shit into a blender [be careful if it's hot] and blend it. Add salt to taste.

then put it on some tacos. voila motherfucker

>>5147240
Australia's pretty huge but my suggestion is just look a few things up. You'll need Mexican Oregano though, it's different tasting from Italian Oregano, that and as someone mentioned Cilantro, and some chili peppers and some red onion. Pretty much throw that into anything and you have your authentic Mexican food.
Cheers!

>>5147729
... Almost forgot, since you're in Australia you're likely near the coast, that's just the demographics there, so get some fish and make fish tacos with what I said before. You folk have access to some pretty awesome stuff...

Or else the Feral Kid will get ya with his boomerang!

>>5147240
Hi.
How hard is it to find dried Mexican chiles in your area?

>>5147714
>green tomatoes
>not tomatillos
OP, please don't do this, you'll get a sad mess.

>>5147240
char

Sorry OP , but Mexican cuisine is more distinctive than you think. The bay leaves are different, the oregano is different, the cinnamon is different and the herbs are different. One thing I can recommend you doing is making Ensenada fish tacos, which is basically a mustard and beer battered fish taco, but even then it requires Mexican Oregano.

>>5147240
>Whatever I make never seems to taste as good as the food at restaurants. It lacks depth of flavour and complexity.
Use more chilli (as in: use more than one kind). Use other spices, particularly cumin. Also ground black pepper (use generously) and coriander and cinammon (use sparingly). Don't neglect the salt.

Also if appropriate cook for longer — a chilli cooked for half an hour is completely transformed by beeing simmered for 4 hours.

>I live in Australia so it's difficult to find "authentic" ingredients, but I'd be happy to go out of my way to find something if it was important.
Same basic problem here, but if you follow the above tips you can get some really good results.

As far as chilli itself goes, how many kinds of powdered dried chillis can you get normally? Paprika, cayenne and a generic chilli powder will usually combine to make a very pleasing flavour, far far better than the chilli powder used by itself. Combine with a bit of fresh hot chillis (which I presume are easily available in Oz) for top note and maybe some fruity notes and you'll be well on your way to El Delicioso.

>>5147240
It's really, really about the seasonings and sauces.
You have to learn to make some good sauces. I have quite a few sauce recipes, which I'd be happy to post in awhile, once I'm done with the errands I have to run now.
Also, a note on meats: try to stay away from chicken breasts, steak, and lean pork. Mexican food benefits from variety cuts, like cow tongue (lengua - makes god tier tacos), chicken thighs, brisket and other beef cuts that can be slow cooked, pork belly, flap meat (beef), beef shanks, and organ meats. These will give you a richer flavor and juicier outcome. Also, fish and seafood are glorious with mexican seasonings and spices, so don't skimp on those.

Most used Mexican spices and herbs:
Pepper
Mexican Oregano
Paprika
Cayenne
Cloves
Cilantro
Epazote
Mexican Bay Leaves
coriander seeds
Anatto
all spice
anise
thyme
Majoram
Ginger (some dishes)
Mint

Most used dried peppers:
Ancho
Pasilla
Guajillo
Chipotle
Serrano
Jalepeno
arbol

Condiments and other random shit :
Chocolate
Pineapple juice
Orange juice
unrefined sugar
Soy /Worcestershire / Maggi sauce
Pineapple Vinegar

Have fun

>>5147857
I forgot to add cumin onions garlic and Mayo. Mexicans love their mayo almost as the japs do

Thank you for all the fantastic responses! I'll write myself a shopping list and see how I go :) I think my main problem is that I've been neglecting "warmer" spices like allspice, cinnamon, cloves etc.
Also, I'll see what sort of dried chillies I can get, I think I'm missing out on ancho.
One last thing... Are black beans really distinctive enough to warrant not subbing them out for something more easily available? The restaurants I visit favour black beans and I notice their texture is very nice, but they are difficult to find and expesive around here.
Thanks again, I'm very appreciative!

>>5147242
Fuck this guy, 'murrican tex-mex food is horrible.
>>5147252
Burritos are NOT mexican food, only fucking northern cattle hearders eat that shit in mexico and thats because they want to be 'murrican as fuck.
>>5147714
All of mi this.
>>5147826
Dont believe this faggot.
>>5147857
>spices
What the fuck am i reading?!
>>5147865
MAYO?
>is this real life?

Also from Australia here. I have been looking for black beans to use in mexican and/or latin american style cooking but options are limited to over priced organic grocer type stores by the look of things.

Apparently kidney beans are similar, would a subsitution taste similar?

>>5148360
Probably yes.
Word of advice, the black bean has a really distictive taste.
But im guessing you wont notice the difference.

>>5148392
I have had black bean salsa before which I really enjoyed.

I found canned black beans that I can buy online, is there a noticeable difference in taste from canned to dried?

>>5148269
Mexicans put mayo in their sauces, fish, corn, and as toppings.

>>5148204
Ancho is the most used Mexican chile and it has notes of blackberry and coffee. You can use them in everything.

HOLY SHIT!
I just googled mexican food in australia.
Been reading around.
>cheese averywhere. is that fucking chedar?
>flour tortillas everywhere.
>baking enchiladas.
Do you even know what you are trying to emulate?

>>5148434
I cant remember any sauce with fucking mayo in it.
Fish stick with mayo.
>implying fish stick are mexican cuisine.
Who the fuck told you grilled corn comes with mayo?

I love avocado, spicy chocolate sauce, and grated farmers cheese.
That so speaks mexican food to me... and you can put it on anything!

>>5148451
>Pescado a la Talla
>Pescado Zareaendado
>Esquites
>fish taco crema

>>5148479

meant for
>>5148460

>>5148479
Ah, so YOU like tho put that shit on everything and fuck up the food.
Esquites with motherfucking mayo?!
Pescado Zarandeado and a la talla with MAYO?!
You are making people from Sinaloa and Guerrero, very very fucking sad.

>>5148451
http://www.notquitenigella.com/2013/02/11/la-lupita-canterbury/

not all is lost

>>5148489
>http://www.notquitenigella.com/2013/11/16/easy-tortilla-soup/
That made me cry...

I think i know how those italians felt, when people from around the world gang raped their food and calling anything remote as italian food.

>>5148490
I've eaten esquites from vendors in Mexico City to up north in Tijuana and 90% of time I've had Mayo in them.

As for the sad part

>http://ixtapayzihuatanejo.com/actividad/pescado-a-la-talla/

>http://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/pescado-a-la-talla-estilo-costa-grande.html

>http://www.foxlife.tv/recetas/8849-pescado-a-la-talla.html

These are results in the first page

>>5148451
Not really no.
To be fair Mexico is pretty far from Australia.
To my knowledge Australia doesn't really have much history of Mexican immigration to influence our food.

>>5148269
>Fuck this guy, 'murrican tex-mex food is horrible.
You're a retard. Just because anon said he lived in America doesn't not mean it is tex-mex. Fuck I live in SoCal and we have Authentic Mexican food literally everywhere.

So instead of shitting on the thread and everyone in it, why not post some recipes tips and advice on how to make real Mexican food. >Protip your shitskin is showing

>>5148516
>I've had mayo

Like i said YOU like that shit.
You like to ruin the taste of the food.
Clearly a poor choise.

>>5148554
Maybe.
Why the shit you murrifags like to piss on everything?
>Authentic Mexican food
Not because some fucking weatback told you that fodd is very "bueno" means is actually mexican food.
>why not post some recipes tips and advice on how to make real Mexican food
Should i bother? just take a look at this faggot?
>>5148516
Motherfucker just LOOOOVEs his fucking mayo, so clearly mexican food as a rule MUST have mayo.
>>5148525
Honest to god answear, i can dig it.

>>5148554
Nah i think im ok shitposting all around.

>>5148575
>Shit posting strayin detected
Abandon the thread

>>5148575
One thing I think actual authentic mexican food and Australian "cuisine" have in common is using fresh ocean fish. So I don't know why mexican dishes haven't caught on more here.

>>5148556
Mexicans love mayo

The guy who said epazote is really right, especially in a black bean soup. It adds a flavor that doesn't come from anything else.

>>5148269
>Dont believe this faggot.
Uh, what? I can't even guess at what you find objectionable in my post there. Unless you seriously know nothing about Mexican food. Or are just a shitposting troll. Pick one.

>>5150646
You must be talking 'bout dirty SoCal "mexican" food.
We have had this talk before, just because a dirty wetback told you that "this food is very bueno" it doesnt mean it is true.
And no, even if a wetback was born in mexico an runs a "mexican" food joint, it isnt real mexican food.

this 'real mexican food' meme needs to die.

>>5147857
Is achiote paste good? Should I just make the paste from scratch?

>>5150825
>thinking culinary heritage is a meme
Aww you 'murricans are cute.

>>5150762
>We have had this talk before
No we haven't son.

>>5150993
Make your own, the paste is weak shit.

Combine Anatto, cumin, oregano, coriander seeds, all spice, cinnamon, cloves garlic, paprika and blend that shit with habanero to make a nice marinade.

>>5151018
Getting worked up on adaptations to shit people you had no relation to made hundreds/thousands of years ago is retarded.

>>5151094
It is called axiote for a reason you dumb nigger.
>Mixin a lot of shit to make axiote.
>Didnt mix any actual axiote seeds.
>fullmurrican.tmp

>>5151104
Aw, like i said, cute.
>Cant relate to british cuisine because, fuck it who can rite?
>Cant relate to native american cuisine because, fuck em you exterminated them.
Now you want to bastardize everything from everybody.

>>5152723
>trying this hard

>>5152723
annato is achiote ya dingus
although I too would say those condiments are a little much except for things like tacos al pastor where you would mix achiote paste with them anyway, but not for a pibil or a lomo relleno where the actual achiote should shine

>>5152798
>annato
>true dat

>>5152798
Does achiote even have a taste? i thought it was only for food coloring

>>5148460
not this anon, but Mexicans slather mayo on corn on the cob, mix it into shucked, boiled corn with butter, lime and chile,
pile it on hot dogs
I've seen it slathered on Zarandeado
every birthday party or wedding or whatever has a mayo heavy pasta salad
Ceviche, jaiba and pulpo totadas usually are served with a smear of mayo on the tortilla first.
Mexico is big, and tastes vary, but from what I have seen Sonora mayo is much used.

>>5153024
Tastes slightly like anise seed. The Mexican prep girls at my old restaurant simply threw seed in a pot of semi-hot oil until it infused the color, then strained.

>>5147240
Pure an simple Mexican,
take about two parts diced tomato, one part diced onion, and as much diced jalepeño or serrano chile as you can handle, mix and salt and you have salsa mexicana, bandera, pico de gallo among other names.
cut good small baguette type bread ( subbing for torcido or bolillo ) as if for a sandwich. Smear mashed beans, top with white melting cheese and broil. These are molletes, pile on the salsa.
take your salsa, cook it in a skillet until it just breaks down, and smother fried eggs with it.
These are two super easy and authentic Mexican mainstays.

>>5153081
Me again. All the sauces, rojo, verde, 5 chili, etc., were all simmered for a LONG time. Like I said before, the actual Mexican girls made it, but from do remember, there were a lot of tomatillos in the verde, along with oregano, onion, garlic, and cilantro.

>>5153068
Great tip.
>Avoid cartel infested shit tier place Sonora.

>>5153098
Tomatillo?
Ah, so you are a cattle herder from the north?
>>5153068
No wonder you love your fucking mayo.

>>5153100
The north is better than the south. Michoacan is becoming the shit hole of Mexico, while places like Baja are one of the few places where crime is dropping

>>5153116
Thats because people is flying the fuck outta there.
>south
>michoacan
Shit you ARE a northern cattle herder indeed.

>>5153130
Everything under the north is south puto. The north is infested by chilangos and oaxacan immigrant that bring their peasant lifestyle to the glorious north

>>5153142
>glorious north
Yeah sure and you probably have at least one pair of boots in your closet.
Go outside to the village you call city and kick some dirt.
>arriba y arriba yepa yepa

>>5153170
What's that? Can't hear you from all dat rising HDI from The north master race

>>5153116
>>5153130
>>5153142
>>5153170
>>5153186
Pretty entertaining hearing you beaners arguing about which part of your shithole is less of a shithole than the rest of the shithole.

>>5153245

That's Mexicans in a nut shell

If they can't shit on each other they'd be shitting on Salvadoreans or anything south of the country
Likewise the Salvi's would be shitting on Panamanians and it just goes on and on until the fucking Chileans end up talking about how superior they are to the penguins in Antartica

:V

Mexican Food from a restaurant in Australia doesn't sound appealing, OP.

Sounds like you had sub-par Mexican-fare. Prepare to have your mind blown when you have the good stuff.

>>5153186
HDI
>Human development index?
Do you even know what are you trying to say?
Last time i checked the north is a fuckin barren wasteland thanks to the organized crime.

>>5153273
You don't even know how correct you are.
Take what Taco Bell is to Mexican food- then imagine a cheap knock off copy from Australia called Taco Bill where all the staff are Sri Lankan or Chinese

>>5153273
But what if OP never gets to have the good stuff?!

All I know is don't be afraid of lard, and when recipes call for charring, really char shit. Also introduce yourself to the world of peppers fresh and dry.

Lard for tortillas/carnitas and whatever. In fact, used to work for this mexican born chef and his recipe was basically a confit gone wrong(basically it gets turned up at the end to crisp the meat.)

As for char, seriously, to the point where you think it's burnt. Something like a tomatillo salsa verde, I'll take like 12 medium tomatillos, 3 clove garlic, 1 onion, jalapeno, and then broil them so they got a decent amount of char. Then blitz with a large bunch of cilantro, salt, lime, and bueno apetito, you have yourself some great sauce for tacos.

>>5153307
Protip
Theyre called tomates

>>5150762
Oh great one, tell us.
What is Mexican food then?

>>5153336
Chow mein

>>5153340
I knew you couldn't. You're a worthless shit poster.

>>5147240
this recipe will take no less than 8 hours to pull off

should you do so correctly which you wont without expert help but should you .... expect to eat like a king

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzEy8TUSs2M

>itt niggers

>>5156030
>itt niggers bastardizing mexican cuisine

>>5147252
Find real maize tortillas. DO NOT BUY FLOUR TORTILLAS.

>>5156890

inb4 norteños saying their horrible texmex influenced garbage is actually good

>>5147729
live in a mexico. yes italian oregano is way different tasting then mexican oregano.

italian oregano = good for tomato sauce

mexican oregano = good for chili sauce

>>5156896
All of my this.
Fucking norteños, get a grip.

>>5156896
>texmex influenced
You have no idea, norteño fare is nothing like Texmex. I lived in Az ( Az is full of Texmex ) most of my live, and a considerable portion of it in Sonora, Mex. You are WAY wrong.

>>5158002
life

>>5157031
>>5156896

The north region is the best region when it comes to food though. People still living in the 1900's?