3 must-try authentic Mexican dishes for a flavourful fiesta

From spicy salsas to savoury tacos, explore the vibrant culinary heritage of Mexico with these delicious recipes that you can easily prepare at home.

Mexico has one of the richest gastronomies in the world, and Mexican cuisine is one of the most popular around the globe! It is made using a combination of ancient methods still in use today, as well as pre-Hispanic indigenous products and European ingredients such as cheese, milk, beef, cinnamon and wheat. The four main pre-Hispanic Mexican ingredients are chocolate, chili, guajolote (wild turkey), and maize (corn). Mexican holidays are exciting, filled with exquisite food and delightful activities. However, you can enjoy the most popular Mexican cuisine without the need to visit Mexico, as many of the finest Mexican dishes can be easily prepared in your own home.

Executive Chef, Biswarup Chatterjee, Hilton Garden Inn New Delhi/ Saket and Mexican Chef Tania Tovar shared with HT Digital three delectable Mexican recipes that you can easily prepare at home. So put on your chef's hat and get ready to delve into Mexican culture adventure.

Delicious Mexican dishes to make at home

1. Birria

Birria (Pinterest)

Ingredients:

6 pieces of dried Poblano Chili

4 cloves ofgarlic

2 pinch of marjoram

2 pinch of cumin

15 pieces of pepper

3 cloves garlic

1 piece of ginger

1pinch of thyme

1 kg tomato

1 cup of vinegar

1 cup of orange juice

1 pinch of bay leaves

1pinch of avocado leaves

2 cinnamon stick

2 kg lamb

1 lts of water

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, put the meat with all the ingredients and bake it for 3.5 hours. Or until it’s soft.

2. Put apart the meat and blend the rest of the ingredients and strain the liquid.

3. Serve dice or shredded meat with the broth. Serve with chopped onion and chopped coriander.

2. Ensalada Plupo (Octopus salad)

Ensalada Plupo (Octopus salad) (Pinterest)

Ingredients:

2 lts water

½ small octopuses

Salt

Olive oil

2 tbls lemon juice

1 tbls oregano

1 tbl spoon of salt

1 poblano chili

1 jalapeñochili

1-2 cherry tomatoes

1 corn

1 sweet peas

Method:

1.Put the water to a boil and add the octopuses and salt. Cook for 20 minutes and reserve until cool.

2. Chop the octopus into small pieces. Mix with olive oil and salt; grill them until brown and reserved. Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and salt to make dressing.

3. Cook both chilis and peel them. Chop them into small pieces.Chop the cherry tomatoes in half. Cook the sweet peas and the corn. Mix the octopus, the chilis, the tomatoes, the corn and the sweet peas. Add the dressing just before serving.

3. Shrimp Tostada

Shrimp Tostada (Pinterest)

Ingredients:

For the Shrimps:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

600 grams shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 teaspoon Chipotle Paste

1 lime

Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Tostadas:

1/2 packet Hard Shell Tacos

For the Quick Guacamole:

2 ripe avocados

1 lime, juice

Garnish:

300 grams lettuce, shredded

100 grams of feta cheese, crumbled

1-2 lime cut into wedges to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180˚C, 360˚F. Heat up the olive oil in a frying pan over medium- high heat, add the butter, and let it melt once it begins bubbling, add the prawns and chipotle paste, stir, and let the chipotle coat the prawns.

2. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and squeeze the lime juice on top, let them cook briefly until they are ready once they get pink on both sides, once ready remove them from the heat and set aside.

3. Open the pack of Hard Shell Tacos and split them in half, place them in a baking tray, and place them in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes.

4. In the meantime prepare quick guacamole, in a bowl add the flesh of both avocados, squeeze the lime juice on top, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper, with a form roughly mash the avocados, once ready set aside.

5. Remove the broken hard shell tacos from the oven, allow them to cool down slightly, and prepare to serve your tostadas.

6. Add a spoonful or two of guacamole into each half tostada and spread it over the surface with the help of a fork or spoon.

7. Now add a spoonful of chipotle prawns and some of the pan juices onto each tostada.

8. Add a handful of shredded lettuce on top of each tostada and finish with a sprinkle of crumbled feta on top, arrange the tostadas nicely over a platter, and serve.