The most delicious Mexican recipes to celebrate Independence Day in style
Mexican cuisine has conquered a large part of the world, and tacos, guacamole, and quesadillas are known almost everywhere. Mexico celebrates its Independence Day every September 16th, and gastronomy is a central part of the celebration.
There are recipes closely linked to these celebrations, such as the popular chiles en nogada, whose ingredients represent the colors of the Mexican flag. But we're going to show you how to prepare some more at home so you can enjoy this cuisine so rich in flavors, colors, and aromas.
What exactly is celebrated on September 16th, and why is the table the center of the Mexican celebration?
The celebration of the beginning of Mexico's Independence begins on the night of September 15th, because it was in the early morning of September 16, 1810, that Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a priest, academic, and revolutionary, rang the bell of the Dolores parish church in Guanajuato and called the people to rise up against Spanish rule. This historic moment is known as the Grito de Dolores (Cry of Dolores) and officially marks the beginning of the War of Independence.
The table is the heart of the celebration, and Mexicans, like the Spanish, celebrate everything with food and drink, whether with family, friends, or coworkers, together or separately. Besides chiles en nogada, other dishes abound, such as pozole, a hearty broth with hominy, meat, and vegetables (available in red, green, or white); tamales, steamed banana leaves filled with corn masa and savory or sweet fillings; and tostadas: fried corn tortillas topped with beans, a meat stew (such as meat or chicken), lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, cheese, and sour cream.
Desserts and drinks that are enjoyed on Mexican Independence Day.
Mexicans have a real sweet tooth, and sweets are a must on what's also known as Independence Day. The star dessert is flan, and other highly praised options include green (lime), white (coconut or milk), and red (strawberry or hibiscus) gelatin. But the list is enormous: cocadas (coconut candies), amaranth alegrías (a type of candy), jamoncillo (caramelized milk candy), pepitorias (pumpkin seed brittle), obleas (wafers) with pumpkin seeds and cajeta (caramelized milk) or dulce de leche, borrachitos (sponge cakes soaked or filled with liqueur), buñuelos (fritters), arroz con leche (rice pudding), and much more.
And as for drinks, Mexicans are big fans of tequila, mezcal and beer, among the alcoholic options, and aguas frescas, especially hibiscus, horchata and lemon with chia seeds.
Recipes to put Mexico on your plate
It is the quintessential dish associated with Mexico's Independence Day and is made with poblano peppers stuffed with a sweet-savory picadillo of minced pork with fruit; they are bathed in a cold walnut sauce and decorated with pomegranate and parsley.
It appears on almost every Mexican table because it is fresh, easy to prepare, and perfect to eat with nachos and accompany all kinds of dishes.
They are made with banana leaves, mole sauce, and pork or chicken, and have a softer, moister texture than tamales wrapped in corn husks.
It's one of the most representative dishes of Mexican cuisine and boasts one of the oldest flavors. It's based on a mixture of chilies, spices, and seeds, and each region, even each family, has its own recipe.
Pozole, along with chiles en nogada and tamales, is inseparable from the Mexican Independence Day celebrations. The red version is prepared with cacahuazintle corn, pork, and a red sauce made from dried chiles.
They are known as 'the patriotic breakfast' and are eaten at dawn after Independence Day. They consist of tortilla chips, salsa, chicken/egg, cream, and cheese.
The most common tacos during the Independence Day celebrations are al pastor, carnitas, barbacoa, tacos dorados, and cochinita pibil. Here's how to make the latter.
And since one taco is never enough, here's the recipe for other very popular ones, such as carnitas tacos, with their pork confit in lard, corn tortillas and fresh garnishes (onion, cilantro, lemon and salsa).
It's a very refreshing dish, often enjoyed during all kinds of celebrations, and is typical of the coast. Its ingredients are chili peppers, cilantro, seafood or fish, and red onion.
