Know the difference: What Indians have been eating as Mexican is Tex-Mex

Tacos al pastor at Sanchez, Bengaluru.

Ola, Mejico!

Anthony Bourdain once said: “Americans love Mexican food. We consume nachos, tacos, burritos, tortas, enchiladas, tamales, and anything resembling Mexican, in enormous quantities, as much as we think we know and love it, we have barely scratched the surface of what Mexican food really is. It is not melted cheese over a tortilla chip. It is not simple, or easy. It is, in fact, even older than the great cuisines of Europe and often deeply complex, refined, subtle, and sophisticated.”

Tamale at Sanchez, Bengaluru.

This, in essence, sums up how misunderstood and misrepresented Mexican cuisine is, globally and more so, in India.

I step out of Sylvia, W Goa hotel at Vagator Beach, revelling in the bold flavours of Mexico, after a six-course experiential Mexican menu by World-class Mexican chef, Colibrí Jiménez, who is in India, courtesy World on a Plate, on a mission to promote "real" Mexican cuisine.

Authentic dishes ranging from Espesado de frijol negro, hoja de aguacate, epazote, juliennes de tortilla (Black bean broth soup, avocado leaf, epazote, fried tortilla julienned), Arroz costeño y su socarrat, aioli de limón, sofrito de calamar, camarón y almeja (Rustic Mexican-style rice and its socarrat, lime aioli, sofrito of squid, shrimp and clams), Taco de jicama, guacamole, vinaigrette de Jamaica, pomegranate (Yam bean, hibiscus vinaigrette, pomegranate), and Petit fours (Tequila bombons, Basil mint habanero ash white chocolate bonbons, puerquitos de pilloncillo) were on offer.

If this is the real Mexican food, what is it that we Indians have been enjoying as Mexican cuisine?

Taco de jicama, guacamole, vinaigrette de jamaica, pomegranate at W Goa.

Nachos are undoubtedly the mainstream face of Mexican food in India. That apart, burritos and tortillas at a popular quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain or Mexican rice and fajitas at a Restaurant, is as Mexican, as it gets. These are all Tex-Mex or at best, Mexico’s new "alta cocina" (haute cuisine), I am told.

It’s Tex-Mex, not Mexican

Tex-Mex was inspired by, and adapted from, Mexican cooking, however, the ingredients and culinary techniques associated with traditional Mexican cuisine aren’t what goes into Tex-Mex food. “Tex-Mex isn’t really Mexican food, which is commonly believed to be,” declares Chef Jiménez, vehemently.

An expert in Mexican cuisine, Chef Vikas Seth, culinary director, Sanchez, Bengaluru, elaborates, “We Indians relate to and love Tex-Mex food like nachos, with its cheesy, spicy, sour flavours and consider only that to be Mexican food. Appealing to the Indian palate, Tex-Mex dishes, gained popularity as everything American was replicated in India, back in the day, as the US was where people travelled to. Mexico was relatively unknown as a destination and so was its food.”

The real deal

Tortilla de Maiz, Birria de Cordero, pico de gallo y fresa by Chef Colibrí Jiménez.

Traditional Mexican cuisine embraces an entire heritage of culture dedicated to maintaining Mexico’s indigenous customs and cultural traditions. “Traditional cooking methods like Tatemar (roasting) and Nixtamalisation (making maize nutritionally accessible) are a few of the many culinary traditions that still are practised,” says Chef Jiménez.

Authentic Mexican food is derived from a combination of ancient Aztec, Mayan and Spanish traditions. These cultures collided, combining foods like corn tortillas, beans, chilli peppers and fish. When Spain invaded Mexico in the 1500s, pork, dairy, garlic, herbs and spices became popular.

Fresh and locally grown ingredients, characterise Mexican cuisine. Tomatoes and chilies, are used for making salsa, while, spices such as coriander and epazote, form the core of Mexican dishes, instead of the commonly used cumin or dry oregano. Maize-based tortillas, are Mexican, not wheat tortillas and soft tacos, not crisp taco shells.

Debunking myths, Chef Jiménez adds, “What excites me is the different flavours and ingredients in Mexican cuisine. It is very diverse, yet still, relatively unknown to the world. Although everybody thinks nachos and chimichangas are Mexican, they are not. Vanilla is an orchid which is endemic to Mexico along with tomatoes and pumpkins. A staple in our cuisine is maize.”

The cheese makes all the difference in the flavours in Mexican dishes. White cheese like cotija or fresh cheese is used, instead of yellow cheddar cheese at QSRs.

Popularising Mexican cuisine

Chef Colibrí Jiménez at Sylvia, W Goa resort, Vagator.

Originally from Mexico City, Chef Jiménez turns to the recipes and culinary traditions of her maternal grandmother, Guadalupe de Ella. She has also authored a book called Una Aventura Gastronómica, where she shares stories and photographs of her journey in Mexico and its most remote corners.

Availability of ingredients, has made it easier for chefs to serve Mexican food in India. According to Chef Vikas, they do not Indianise Mexican fare and use authentic Mexican chillies and herbs for cooking. Apart from the popular Mexican chilli, chipotle, which is now common in India, he uses pasilla, ancho, negro, guajillo, habanero and ingredients like masa, tomatillo, nopales, horchata, cotija, for the real flavours.

He says, “A pop-up of Mexican cuisine recently in Delhi received a terrific response. Mexican food is getting popular. It has a lot of flavour and spice, similar to Indian food. At Sanchez, guests can discover the brilliance of Aztec cuisine, modern Mexican and Tex-Mex food.”

Mole poblano chicken at Sanchez, Bengaluru.

Nachos may have to take a back seat, as tamales are suddenly gaining popularity among gourmands. Everybody may not like a mole (a sauce made using chocolate with chilli, fruit and nuts), just yet, but the takers are increasing.

Buen provecho!