Mexican cuisine PREPARED: ISLYAMOV IL

Mexican cuisine is primarily a fusion of indigenous Mesoamerican cooking with European, especially Spanish, elements added after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in the 16th century. The staples are native foods, such as corn, beans, avocados, tomatoes, and chili peppers, along with rice, which was brought by the Spanish. Europeans introduced a large number of other foods, the most important of which were meats from domesticated animals (beef, pork, chicken, goat, and sheep), dairy products (especially cheese), and various herbs and spices.

Chili pepper The basic ingredient in all parts of Mexico is the chile pepper. Mexican food has a reputation for being very spicy. Many dishes also have subtle flavors. Chiles are used for their flavors and not just their heat, with Mexico using the widest variety. If a savory dish or snack does not contain chile pepper, hot sauce is usually added, and chile pepper is often added to fresh fruit and sweets.

Corn tortilla In Mexico and Central America, a tortilla is a type of thin, unleavened flat bread, made from finely ground maize (corn). Corn tortillas are the basis of many traditional Mexican dishes, such as tacos, burrito, quesadilla.

Salsa sauce Salsa is often a tomato-based sauce or dip which is heterogeneous and includes additional components such as onions, chilies, beans, corn, and various spices. They are typically piquant, ranging from mild to extremely hot.

Nachos The dish is composed of tortilla chips (totopos) covered with cheese or cheese-based sauce, and is often served as a snack.

Burrito A burrito is a type of Mexican and Tex-Mex food, consisting of a large wheat flour tortilla with a filling, wrapped into a closed-ended cylinder, in contrast to a taco, where the tortilla is simply folded around the filling. The flour tortilla is usually lightly grilled or steamed, to soften it and make it more pliable. In Mexico, meat and refried beans are sometimes the only fillings. In the United States, burrito fillings generally include a combination of ingredients such as Mexican-style rice or plain rice, beans or refried beans, lettuce, salsa, meat, guacamole, cheese, and sour cream, and the size varies.