Hey Messicans!

[livius drusus]

Is there a difference between Mexican cumin and other cumin?

[BrotherMan]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

So yeah, not exactly bleeding edge authenticity right there, but I had this bizarre craving descend upon me out of nowhere so I made it happen and it was awesome.

Being a non-Messican from Texas I get this kind of craving all the time. I can sometimes satiate the desire with chips and salsa but other times I have to go full nacho. Lucky for me, there's a Chipotle nearby and we go there on average once a week. When I'm really hard up I slum it at the Taco Bell. We only have okay Messican (slash: Central American) food sources around here. There's a place we call EAT an hour north that has great flavors but originates in, of all places, Boston. OH! I almost forgot the tiny place in town calling itself El Nopal. They only take cash, so I don't get there often. (Also my roommate doesn't like it for aesthetic reasons.)

[Qingdai]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

Is there a difference between Mexican cumin and other cumin?

Not really, other than possibly country of origin.

Plus Bort, Nacho is a nickname, not a food.

Mexifry, my ass..

[BrotherMan]

IT'S MY WORD, NACHOS.

(think about it)

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

My taco seasoning is generally:
2 parts garlic powder
Lemon pepper, cumin, oregano, Mexican chile powder (it's got a little less heat than cayenne but much more depth of flavor). Lightly s&p.

I generally just shake and add until the color looks right. The last few times I added a small jar of OEP taco sauce and cooked until reduced. Very good.

I'm not a beef taco person; I boil some chicken breasts, shred, and fry them with spices in a bit of canola oil.

[Janet]

My sister makes this mix all the time minus the garlic because I'm allergic. If I had gotten here in time I would have given you her recipe.

[Demimonde]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

I don't do Mexican dishes very often, nor do I live in Texas. In fact, this is the first time I've even eaten anything even remotely Messican in ... I dunno ... six years?

Wait... wait... what?!

Six years without the wonder, the glory that is TACO NIGHT? No enchiladas? No tamales? No tortas? No carne asada? No migas? No fajitas? (Okay fajitas is Tex-Mex but STILL.)



That just makes me sad! I feel compelled to do something, but I am flabbergasted as to what can be done to undo six years!

[Qingdai]

No Chile verde makes the Messican Jesus cry!

[Sock Puppet]

I believe the stuff in those little packets mostly contains Whothefuckcares. Your combo was easily better. However, as long as you're grinding your spices like a badass, next time pick up some achiote seeds. Even the prepackaged powder is p. good. Fresh ground, they're amazing.

[livius drusus]

Originally Posted by Demimonde

Six years without the wonder, the glory that is TACO NIGHT? No enchiladas? No tamales? No tortas? No carne asada? No migas? No fajitas? (Okay fajitas is Tex-Mex but STILL.)

I've actually never had a tamale and I don't even know what a miga is.

That just makes me sad! I feel compelled to do something, but I am flabbergasted as to what can be done to undo six years!

It's worse than you know. The reason for this shameful lacuna in my cooking skillz is that for a long time I hated spicy (as in hot) food due to the childhood trauma that was my mom's Pakistani cooking phase. Thus when I started cooking for myself, I never trucked with Mexican. The pattern has held for all these years.

Last night may well be the only time I have ever cooked a Mexicanish dish that wasn't an Amy's enchilada at home. If I've done it before I can't remember.

I now officially repent of my ways, however, because that taco salad was phenomenal and I'd love to go further. Perhaps you could help me, like maybe giving me a recipe a month to make? Next up would be enchiladas because Q mentioned them before itt and now you have and it makes me want them.

[Demimonde]

You... have never had a tamale?!

The spiciness is only a small part of Mexican food and not at all a problem to work around. There are so many other flavors and ingredients. That is like not trying Italian because of a garlic aversion, there is just so much more to it than that one flavor, you know?

I would be glad and proud to help by sending some recipes your way! This will be fun!

I just have to get this out of the way first.

I don't even know what a miga is.

[livius drusus]

Originally Posted by Demimonde

You... have never had a tamale?!

The spiciness is only a small part of Mexican food and not at all a problem to work around. There are so many other flavors and ingredients. That is like not trying Italian because of a garlic aversion, there is just so much more to it than that one flavor, you know?

Oh I know. I've seen enough Rick Bayless to realize how varied a cuisine it is. I was just explaining the root cause of my unfortunate circumstance.

I would be glad and proud to help by sending some recipes your way! This will be fun!

I just have to get this out of the way first.

OMG WHAT IS IT?!

[Crumb]

YES WHAT IS IT?!?!?!

[Demimonde]

It was the phrasing that made me because migas is always plural and it means "crumbs." A miga would be anti-climactic to say the least.

It is a happy Spanish version of strata, or French toast, or any other peasant dish that uses day old bread or torta or in the messican version- tortillas!

Making Migas (though I object to the whole crispy tostados thing.)

I was actually surprised to learn from several sources that the tortilla version is a Tex-Mex thing, rather than traditional Messican.

I am not sure that I believe that though, (some Texicans like to claim ownership beyond our bounds, texascooking.com especially) and will have to ask my non-tejano friends about that.

[Crumb]

A miga would be anti-climactic to say the least.

[Demimonde]

[Sock Puppet]

I was only vaguely aware of migas myself, even being a Messican by way of marriage. Reading that page, now I know why: they're basically Tex-Mex chilaquiles.

[livius drusus]

Originally Posted by Sock Puppet

However, as long as you're grinding your spices like a badass, next time pick up some achiote seeds. Even the prepackaged powder is p. good. Fresh ground, they're amazing.

Noted. Demi, would you advise adding achiote seeds to your chili powder?

[Demimonde]

I actually have not played around with achiote seeds, but now I want to.

It definitely would add rich color to it. I say go for it and let us know how it turns out.

Sock, chilaquiles look delicious and I am betting that you are right and our migas is just a regional variation of that.

I kinda want to try to make the Spanish version now using torta or bolillo bread.

[livius drusus]

What color are they?

[Sock Puppet]

Blackish on the outside, dark reddish when ground up. They're a bit on the spicy side, so you might want to adjust proportions with the other chile-type ingredients.

[Demimonde]

I have never seen an actual real recipe in a wiki article, but there is one on the achiote page. I might have to try it, because it looks p. darn good.

A typical preparation mixes:

1/4 cup annatto seeds [achiote]
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 whole cloves
1 teaspoon salt
5 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 cup bitter orange juice (Seville) or 1/3 cup white vinegar

wiki

[livius drusus]

This looks good: Chipotle's Ancho Chile Marinade. If I did that to steak, what cut would I use and how I would break it up after it's done? Shred or chop or thin slices or ... ?

[Demimonde]

I mostly use skirt steak because it is cheap. You can really use it on any cut you want. Thinner is better IMO.

I cut mine in strips against the grain, never with the grain. Bias looks prettier but it will be chewier.

[livius drusus]

I'm also in the market for a Spanish rice recipe. If I had planned far enough ahead instead of falling prey to a thunderbolt craving, I would have added some to the taco salad and it would have ruled.