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CORN
Maize is the core of the Mexican diet. It is the crop
with most presence throughout the country and is the
heart and soul of the milpa.
NIXTAMALIZATION This process prepares the corn for grinding:
Boil
the corn
in limewater.
GRIDDLED
Tortillas
Let
it soak
for 8 hours.
Rinse and
grind to make
masa.
th
world
producer
SINALOA
produces:
FRIED STEAMED BOILED
6%
’ . kg
of the nation’s volume
Tostadas Quesadillas Tamales Atole
is the annual consumption
of tortillas per person
Chemical changes occur in the corn
during nixtamalization. Proteins become
easy to assimilate, the supply of amino acids
increases, and nutrition is enhanced with
calcium, iron, and zinc.
THE BASIS
OF OUR CUISINE
THE MILPA IS A CENTURIES-OLD, COMPLEX AGRICULTURAL AND
CULTURAL SYSTEM. THE PLANTS ALL GROW ON THE SAME PLOT,
MAINTAINING FERTILITY OF THE SOIL AND REDUCING EROSION.
MEXICAN MILPA =
corn+ beans + squash + chiles + quelites
Quelite
Cuitlacoche
Cuitlacoche is a fungus that
develops on tender ears of corn
and is considered a culinary delicacy.
CHILE
A herbaceous plant with white or
pink flowers that grows in the milpa.
nd
world producer
of green chiles
SCOVILLE SCALE
SINALOA
produces:
%
of the nation’s volume
of green chiles
Some types of peppers and their pungency:
kg
consumption per
person per year
DOMESTICATED
Chile plants in other
countries have been
modified and give
sweet green peppers.
The burning sensation
and reaction are caused
by capsaicin, a chemical
that stimulates receptors
in skin and mucous
membranes in the mouth.
SALSA ROJA COCIDA =
cooked tomatoes +
cooked fresh chile
de árbol + onion +
garlic + salt
MEXICAN
VARIETIES
Bell pepper
Poblano
Jalapeño
de árbol
Piquín
Habanero
Based on morphological,
adaptable, and genetic
characteristics, corn is
classified in seven
racial groups:
BEANS
Conical
Sierra de
Chihuahua
Eight
rows
Chapalote
Beans contain carbohydrates, high protein content, fiber, fat, calcium,
iron and vitamins: B-complex, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid, and thiamine.
Beans add nitrogen to the milpa and improve the growth of corn and other plants.
Early
Maturing
Tropical
dent
Late
Maturing
FRIJOLES DE LA OLLA =
beans + water + salt + aromatic
herbs (epazote, avocado leaf)
Cuitlacoche
Bean
Corn
Squash
Squash blossom
Chile
Units on 0 From 1,000
the Scoville
Heat Scale
to 2,000
SQUASH
From 2,500
to 10,000
From 10,000
to 30,000
All the varieties are grown in all the agricultural regions.
Squash grows with corn and beans in the milpa.
From 30,000
to 60,000
These are some of the varieties of the genus Cucurbita of the Cucurbitaceae
family, which also includes watermelon, cantaloupe, and cucumber:
:
From 200,000
to 350,000
th world
producer
. kg
consumption
per person per year
In Mexico four species of beans are commonly raised
Common bean
Butter bean
Runner bean
Tepari bean
APPROXIMATE
COOKING TIME
60 minutes
90 to 120
minutes
ZACATECAS produces:
of the nation’s
% volume
. kg of beans
are consumed per person per year
QUELITES
Tender herbs rich in nutritional
content: high in fiber, iron, potassium
and vitamins C and D. They grow wild
in and around the milpa.
Squash blossoms
are edible.
species
belonging to different botanical
families, many of them endemic to Mexico.
Pipiana Chilacayote Kabocha Castile or Winter Squash
Fried or grilled,
The seeds are an
Known as Japanese
The pulp is cooked in a
the seeds are
ingredient in
squash, it is for
brown sugar syrup to
used in pipián
candy brittle.
the Asian market.
make candied squash
and green mole.
or calabaza en tacha.
PIPIÁN VERDE =
Toasted pumpkin seeds +
tomatillos+ water + lard +
serrano chiles + fried garlic+
cilantro, parsley or epazote
leaves + hoja santa + salt
SONOR A
produces:
%
of the nation's
volume of squash
Zucchini
The tender flesh is eaten
as a vegetable or as an
ingredient in stews, salads,
soups, and broths.
Data: Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación (SAGARPA) and the Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad (CONABIO).
34 — Ven a Comer
the basis of our cuisine — 3 6