a n C o o k ! I C F Mexican ood Wendy Blaxland Thank you for purchasing this Smart Apple Media eBook! Smart Apple Media eBooks enable readers to: 1. Engage and collaborate with other readers by adding notes, inserting graphics, or highlighting key words and passages. 2. Quickly search through a book’s contents and instantly access glossary definitions. 3. Further explore the subject by linking directly to websites contained in the text. 4. Easily browse text and photographs by clicking on the outside corners of pages to “turn” them. Your eBook will be best viewed in the latest version of Adobe Reader. This free program may be downloaded at www.adobe.com. The publisher recommends that users read Adobe’s “Using Adobe Reader” section at http://help.adobe.com/en_US/reader/using/index.html for instructions on using the interactive features this program makes available. Notice of Copyright Copyright © 2012 Smart Apple Media International copyright reserved in all countries. No part of this eBook may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Smart Apple Media Published by Smart Apple Media, an imprint of Black Rabbit Books P.O. Box 3263 • Mankato, Minnesota 56002 www.blackrabbitbooks.com I Can Cook! M F exican ood Wendy Blaxland This edition first published in 2012 in the United States of America by Smart Apple Media. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. Smart Apple Media P.O. Box 3263 Mankato, MN, 56002 www.blackrabbitbooks.com First published in 2011 by MACMILLAN EDUCATION AUSTRALIA PTY LTD 15–19 Claremont St, South Yarra, Australia 3141 Visit our website at www.macmillan.com.au or go directly to www.macmillanlibrary.com.au Associated companies and representatives throughout the world. Copyright text © Wendy Blaxland 2011 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Blaxland, Wendy. Mexican food / Wendy Blaxland. p. cm. — (I can cook!) Includes index. Summary: “Describes historical, cultural, and geographical factors that have influenced the cuisine of Mexico. Includes recipes to create Mexican food”—Provided by publisher. ISBN 978-1-59920-668-4 (library binding) ISBN 978-1-59920-727-8 (eBook) 1. Cooking, Mexican—Juvenile literature. 2. Food—Mexico—History—Juvenile literature. 3. Cookbooks. I. Title. TX716.M4B57 2012 641.5972—dc22 2011005444 Publisher: Carmel Heron Commissioning Editor: Niki Horin Managing Editor: Vanessa Lanaway Editor: Laura Jeanne Gobal Proofreaders: Georgina Garner; Kirstie Innes–Will Designer: Stella Vassiliou Page Layout: Stella Vassiliou Photo Researcher: Claire Armstrong (management: Debbie Gallagher) Illustrators: Jacki Sosenko; Guy Holt (map, 7, 9); Gregory Baldwin (map icons, 9) Production Controller: Vanessa Johnson Manufactured in China by Macmillan Production (Asia) Ltd. Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong Supplier Code: CP March 2011 Acknowledgments The author would like to thank the following for their generous help and expert advice: Emeritus Professor Eugene Anderson, University of California; Pedro C. Chan, Mexvic, Victoria; Yim Ho, chef, Café Pacifico, Sydney; Wayne Olson, Reference Librarian, U.S. National Agricultural Library; Lynne Olver, editor, FoodTimeline; Mireya Reyes Alvarez, Sydney; and Dena Saulsbury-Monaco, cook and librarian, Montreal. The author and the publisher are grateful to the following for permission to reproduce copyright material: Front cover photographs: Refried beans courtesy of iStockphoto.com/AdShooter; huevos rancheros courtesy of PixMac/JJAVA; fruit salad courtesy of Shutterstock/irabel8; tortilla courtesy of Shutterstock/Denis Vrublevski. Back cover photographs: Brown paper bag courtesy of Shutterstock/Nils Z; huevos rancheros courtesy of PixMac/JJAVA; pumpkin courtesy of Shutterstock/Le Do; corn courtesy of Shutterstock/Elena Elisseeva; avocado courtesy of Shutterstock/Nattika; and capsicums courtesy of Shutterstock/Hal_P. Photographs courtesy of: Dreamstime/Scukrov, 7 (top left); Getty Images/Sean Duan, 29, /John E. Kelly, 21 (top left), /Judd Pilossof, 23 (top center), /Lew Robertson, 27 (top left); iStockphoto.com/ajafoto, 10 (tea towel), /alantobey, 30 (top), /Alst, 22 (falling fruits), 23 (falling fruits), /brinkstock, 13 (clipboard), /dkgilbey, 24 (cinnamon sticks), 25 (cinnamon sticks), /gerisima, 6 (suitcase), /Juanmonino, 7 (top right), /Robyn Mac, 10 (hanging utensils), /Urosh Petrovic, throughout (red oven mitt), /SensorSpot, 4 (boy), /T-Immagini, 30 (bottom), /travellinglight, 7 (bottom left); Photolibrary/Alamy/© BrazilPhotos.com, 28 (right), /FoodCollection, 19 (top left), 25 (hot chocolate), /Tim Hill, 17 (refried beans); PixMac/bodo011, 5 (bottom right), /foodcolors, 7 (center left), /JJAVA, 15 (huevos rancheros), /Rdviola, 28 (left); Shutterstock/Africa Studio, 4 (corn), 5 (corn), 6 (corn), /Aaron Amat, 11 (grater), /Ambrophoto, 8 (oranges), /Anat-oli, 9 (pig), /Andrjuss, 8 (pineapple), /Antonio S, 8 (fish), /Mark Aplet, 13 (electric mixer), /Apollofoto, 8 (custard apple), /atoss, 8 (prawns), /Mauricio Avramow, 7 (bottom right), /bgfreestyler, 19 (limes), 23 (limes), /Bomshtein, 9 (wheat), /Adrian Britton, 10 (baking tray), /Darren Brode, 11 (electric mixer), /buriy, 9 (rice), /C Byatt-Norman, 8 (mince), /Ilker Canikligil, 10 (saucepan), 13 (saucepan), /ZH Chen, 10 (measuring cups), /Coprid, 13 (soap dispenser), /Mikael Damkier, 10 (frying pan, measuring jug), /Raphael Daniaud, 11 (blender), /ejwhite, 11 (colander), /Elena Elisseeva, 8 (corn), 15 (herbs), 19 (herbs), 21 (herbs), /elwynn, 8 (guava), /EtiAmmos, 27 (aniseeds), /Iakov Filimonov, 13 (knives), /Gilmanshin, 13 (knife block), /grublee, 14 (tomatoes), 15 (tomatoes), 19 tomatoes), 21 (tomatoes), /Hal_P, 8 (capsicums), 20 (capsicums), 21 (capsicums), /Jiri Hera, 8 (chicken), /Oliver Hoffmann, 8 (kidney beans), /holbox, 9 (crab), /Jiang Hongyan, 14 (egg), 15 (eggs), 27 (eggs), /Tischenko Irina, 10 (large knife, butter knife), /Rafa Irusta, 9 (beans), 16 (bean sack), 17 (bean sack), /Eric Isselée, 9 (cow, deer), /K13 ART, 8 (blue bowls, green bowls), 11 (bowls), /Kayros Studio, 13 (fire extinguisher), /Wolfe Larry, 4 (chilies), 5 (chilies), /LazarevDN, 10 (sieve), /Le Do, 8 (pumpkin), /Chris Leachman, 10 (chopping board), 15 (eggs), 27 (eggs), /Magone, 8 (cheese), /Viktar Malyshchyts, 8 (watermelon), /Petr Malyshev, 13 (kettle), /Layland Masuda, 8 (limes), /Stefan Michael Matwijec, 30 (center), /Iain McGillivray, 10 (tongs), /Mongolka, 18 (avocado), 19 (avocado), /Mopic, 13 (first-aid box), /Aksenova Natalya, 9 (chicken), /Nattika, 6 (chilies), 8 (chilies in bowl), 18 (whole avocado), 19 (chilies), /odze, 22 (strawberries), /M Unal Ozmen, 8 (flour), 24 (chocolate), 25 (chocolate), /picturepartners, 16 (beans pile), 17 (beans pile), /Ragnarock, 11 (slotted spoon), 13 (frying pan), 31, /Stephen Aaron Rees, 11 (wooden spoon), /Neil A Rodrigues, 14 (coriander), /Serg64, 9 (fruit & veg), /soncerina, 10 (fork), /stanislaff, 8 (pork), /Alex Staroseltsev, 6 (beans), 8 (refried beans), /STILLFX, 10 (peeler), /Swapan, 8 (mangoes), /tacar, 8 (rice), /testing, 8 (corn kernels), /Ev Thomas, 13 (fire blanket), /ultimathule, 8 (hanging chilies), /Matt Valentine, 10 (bread knife), /Graça Victoria, 10 (oven mitts), 13 (oven mitts), /Vlue, 10 (steak knife), /Valentyn Volkov, 8 (sliced cucumber), /vseb, 8 (whole cucumbers); Wikimedia Commons/Alejandro Linares Garcia, 7 (center left). While every care has been taken to trace and acknowledge copyright, the publisher tenders their apologies for any accidental infringement where copyright has proved untraceable. They would be pleased to come to a suitable arrangement with the rightful owner in each case. Contents I Can Cook! 4 Mexican Food 5 Mexican Food Basics Traditions and Styles 6 Mexican Ingredients 8 Cooking Basics Equipment 10 Weight, Volume, Temperature, and Special Diets 12 Safety and Hygiene 13 Let’s Cook! Huevos Rancheros 14 Refried Beans 16 Guacamole 18 Burritos 20 Mexican Fruit Salad 22 Hot Chocolate 24 Pan de Muertos 26 A Mexican Food Celebration: Día de los Muertos 28 Try This! 30 Glossary 31 Index 32 Cooking Tips Glossary Words Safety Warning Ask an adult for help when you When a word is printed in see this red oven mitt on a recipe. bold, it is explained in the How To Glossary on page 31. Cooking techniques are explained in small boxes with this handprint. I Can Cook! Cooking is a rewarding and lifelong skill. With some basic cooking knowledge, a little practice, and great recipes, you can cook entire meals! Cooking for your family and friends is a fun activity, and a mouthwatering meal can take you to places that you have never been. Are you ready to have fun cooking—and eating? A World of Food Every day, people all over the world cook delicious and nutritious meals. What they cook depends not only on the ingredients available to them, but also on their country’s food culture or cooking style. A country’s style of cooking is shaped over time by its culture, economy, climate, and the land itself. Cook Your Way Around the World You can explore the great cuisines of the world in your own kitchen. The special flavors and wonderful aromas of a country’s food culture come from fresh ingredients and particular spices or herbs, which you can find in your local supermarket or a specialty store. Share with your family and friends authentic dishes from different countries that look great and taste even better. You can cook mouthwatering food from different countries by following a few simple steps. Some recipes involve combining just a couple of ingredients! 4 Mexican Food M exican Food Worldwide Mexican food is popular around the world, but especially in Mexican food is known for its intense, varied flavors, the United States (U.S.), which borders Mexico. The U.S. wide use of spices, and rich, colorful ingredients. It blends and some other countries local cooking styles and ingredients with European ones. even have Mexican Mexican food is just as fun to cook and eat as it looks! fast-food chains! Spicy or Sweet? Mexico is the birthplace of chocolate, vanilla, and a whole range of chilies, as well as corn, beans, and tomatoes. Spain and France introduced their taste for meat, garlic, and onions to Mexico, resulting in a vibrant cooking style that features simple snacks, such as burritos, and complex sauces, called moles. Cooking Mexican Food At Home Some Mexican dishes are very simple and can easily be made at home. Guacamole, for example, needs hardly more than avocados and tomatoes. This book has seven recipes that you can follow to cook a meal on your own or with a little help from an adult. Some of the recipes don’t even involve cooking! The recipes can be adapted to suit special diets, too. NORTH EUROPE ASIA Mexico is located in North AMERICA America, immediately MEXICO south of the United States. AFRICA SOUTH AMERICA AUSTRALIA N Corn is native to North and South America. It is a favorite street food in Mexico, eaten roasted and straight off the cob. 5 Mexican Food Basics T raditions and Styles Mexican cooking traditions and styles developed from early civilizations, such as the Maya (250–900) and Aztec (1100–1521), and were later heavily influenced by the Spanish. MtaahCrenaeoxt drit nc ahcar rh(neeti el oi cimipeon)so,pg kob(rrrieenitadganginhe.stnt ) (i tlnse f t), Blending Vibrant Cultures The most important Mayan foods were corn, beans, and pumpkins, along with wild game, fruit, and fish, with flavors from chilies, chocolate, and vanilla. The Aztecs used the same foods, particularly corn, but added tomatoes and turkeys. They also ate protein-rich insects. In the 1520s, the Spanish (and later the French and other Europeans), who conquered Mexico in the 1500s, brought new ingredients to the country, such as wheat, beef, pork, cheese, garlic, and onions. Later influences came from the Caribbean and Portugal. Today, Mexican food is a vibrant blend of European and Native American cooking styles. 6 Tortillas No Mexican meal is complete Regional Food without tortillas, which are made from wheat or ground corn. Tortillas Each Mexican region has a distinct cooking style and delicious specialties can be used to wrap tacos and made from local ingredients cooked with native and introduced spices and enchiladas, as “plates” for tostadas flavorings. The map below breaks Mexico up into six main regions and and as “scoops” for totopos. They discusses the ingredients and special foods that are popular in each. can even be dried and ground into flour to make gorditas, or dumplings. Central Central Mexico’s food combines Aztec ingredients, such as corn, pumpkin, and chili, with Spanish meat- and wheat-based cooking. Yucatán Peninsula Shredded meat dishes include pork carnitas (braised or roasted) Many Yucatán baked chicken and barbacoa (slow-cooked meat). Special occasions call for and pork dishes (pictured) pozole (pictured), a soup or stew of dried corn and meat. use fruit-based sauces rather than chili, often flavored with annatto seeds, UNITED STATES oranges, garlic, and pepper. The Maya here OF AMERICA are traditionally beekeepers and make honey- sweetened cakes, including rosca de miel, and NORTH honey-based drinks, such as balché. Gulf of Mexico CUBA CENTRAL North Northern Mexico’s WEST Spanish-influenced food includes dishes YUCATÁN made from local goat meat and beef, PENINSULA SOUTHEAST such as carne asada (thinly sliced, spicy, grilled beef, pictured). Large, wheat-based BELIZE tortillas are used here to make burritos. OAXACA GUATEMALA HONDURAS West EL SALVADOR NICARAGUA The mountainous state of Jalisco Pacific Ocean specializes in birria (pictured), a dish of goat meat in a spicy chili sauce. Oaxaca Oaxaca is famous for its moles, celebratory dishes cooked with complex sauces containing up to thirty ingredients, including Southeast Fiery Caribbean-influenced recipes include spicy peanuts and cocoa. Other Oaxacan specialties include dishes, such as arroz con pollo (rice, vegetables, and chicken). tamales (steamed snacks with meat wrapped in corn husks Coastal Veracruz serves pescado a la Veracruzana (pictured), or leaves, pictured), tlayudas (crispy tortillas with refried which is fish topped with a hot chili, olive, and tomato sauce. beans, shredded meat, and salad) and Oaxacan cheese. 7 Mexican Food Basics M exican Ingredients Mexican food relies as much on the meat and cheese introduced by the Spanish as it does on native ingredients, such as chocolate, vanilla, corn, beans, and, that Mexican must-have, fiery chilies. Meat Northern Mexican cooks enjoy beef, venison, and Staple Foods goat, while southern Corn is such an Mexican cooks prefer important staple pork and chicken. food in Mexico that it was once considered sacred. Wheat is commonly used in the north. Beans are another important Seafood staple food and are Fish and other often paired with rice, seafood, such as especially in the south. shrimp, are important foods in coastal states bordering the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Dairy Products Dairy products, such as cheese, are popular in southern Mexico. Vegetables Tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, pumpkins, bell peppers, and chilies are popular Fruit Mexican markets blaze with vegetables. brilliantly colored fruit. Juicy oranges and sweet limes jostle with watermelons, pineapples, mangoes, guavas, and custard apples. 8