RedGage

The plate is pretty, with scalloped edges and pastel colored flowers on the rim. What is in it is not so pretty, but is mouth watering. At the top there is a soft, folded tortilla, pale and spotted with brown in a way that reminds the diner of birch bark. In the center, there is a slice of chicken breast with a covering of herbs and spices. A pure white dollop of sour cream separates it from a mound of refried beans. Beneath the beans is some spicy Mexican rice and as a garnish, there's a sprig of parsley -- or is it cilantro?

This is just the sort of Mexican food everyone should have once in a while. The demurely folded tortilla is just waiting to be filled up with those refried beans and that sour cream, and maybe some leaves of parsley. If the diner wants to slice up their chicken breast and add it, or add a spoonful of the red spicy rice, well, that is good too. Somewhere, in the background, is a pitcher full of pina colada, or margaritas, or sangria.

The diner can of course make everything on the plate from scratch. The tortilla seems made of corn and only needs to be made with tortilla flour, water, and a hot griddle. Refried beans are made of pinto beans boiled for three hours till they are tender, then fried in lard and mashed up with garlic. The chicken breast looks like it has been, seasoned, baked, and then topped with tomatoes, green chilies, and spices. This leaves the sour cream, the parsley, or the cilantro.

Sour Cream

Even sour cream is surprisingly simple. It’s light or heavy cream that’s treated with a souring culture, and it cools down any sort of heat found in the chili peppers that are such a part of spicy Mexican recipes. If there is no sour cream at hand, the cook just has to add a few drops of lemon juice to fresh, heavy cream. The less extenders and other non-cream elements in the cream, the better.

Parsley

Parsley is one of the most used and loved of all herbs and even the most inadequate supermarket sells fresh bunches in the produce aisle. This is probably because the bright, green taste of parsley goes with everything from garlic to chilies to meats to spicy rice to refried beans. Flat leafed parsley tastes better than curly leafed parsley and is easier to find, though some recipes call specifically for one or the other.

Cilantro

The taste of this herb is something of an acquired taste for some people. Some folks think cilantro tastes like soap and simply will not use it in anything. There are scientists who believe that an aversion to cilantro is actually genetic. Indeed, if it is bought fresh and left to rot, which is does fairly quickly, nothing smells worse. However, cilantro is the most widely used herb on earth, both in Asian and Mexican recipes. One of its other names is Chinese parsley. Usually, it’s chopped fine then sprinkled on the dish just before it’s served.

Nevertheless, here is the Spicy Rice Recipe.

• Arroz con Tomate (Spanish Rice)
• ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 tbs. serrano chili, finely chopped*
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. dried basil
• 1 cup raw rice
• 1 cup tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 2 cups of water
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tbs. olive oil

1. Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the green pepper, the serrano chili, the onion, garlic, and basil and cook till they are tender. Stir in the rice, chopped tomato, salt, pepper, and water.
2. Cover and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes or until the rice is done.
3. Serves 6.

* Since the heat is in the seeds of the chili, remove some of the seeds for less heat.

What Makes Spicy Mexican Recipes Spicy

What gives spicy Mexican recipes their spice is, of course, chilies. There are dozens of varieties of chilies grown in Mexico alone, and what makes it even more confusing is a lot of them like to cross pollinate. If the cook lives in a big city there are probably food marts that stock a surprising variety of Mexican chilies.

The cook should be careful when preparing and handling chilies, because the oils can burn the skin and really burn their eyes or even the wings of the nose. After handling chilies, the cook should be sure to wash their hands thoroughly, even under the fingernails. Chilies can come dried and can be reconstituted with boiling water.

They can come in a can or a jar, either plain or pickled. Big, fresh chilies like poblano chilies often have the skin removed before they are stuffed. Some people like to blister the skin over an open flame of a gas burner, and then scrape the skin off when the chili is cool enough to handle.

Before the chilies are added to a dish they should be tasted. People who grow chilies in their garden know that the degree of heat can differ from chili to chili, even among those that come from the same plant. Chilies are quite easy to grow, by the way. One tip is to lay a couple of unused matches in the hole they are to be planted in. Cover the matches with a thin layer of soil, then plant.

When the plant flowers, spray them with a solution of Epsom salt and water to increase the yield. Some seed companies sell variety packs of chilies whose different colors are gorgeous when the plant sets out fruit. Garden centers sell chili or sweet pepper plants in sets. They need to be planted in full sun, and it takes about 70 days from seed to harvest. If the cook wants their chilies red, they should wait an extra ten days.

Some of the chilies from Mexico are:

• Anchos, the dried poblano chili.

• Passillas, a dried chili that is a little hotter than the ancho.

• Pequin, tiny little chilies that are very hot. They are bought dried, or in jars.

• Serrano and jalapeño chilies turn bright red when they are very ripe. One plant can produce a lot of them, and they freeze well.

• Poblanos, large chilies that are the fresh form of the ancho.

Spicy Mexican Food Recipe Video

Recipe Cards Make Great Gifts

Looking for a great place to share your writing bug? Why not try here!

Looking for a banner exchange that pays you? 1-800 Banners is for You.

Sign Up for the Recipe Publishing Network Newsletter

If mouthwatering Mexican meals are something you are interested in, perhaps you will enjoy the Recipe Publishing Network newsletter. Our twice-a-month newsletter covers many kinds of cooking and recipe ideas, from all the RPN sites. Each newsletter has a different theme, to inspire and interest you, and perhaps to teach you something new about food or cooking. The newsletter contains cooking tips and tricks, as well as a completely unique recipe not found on any of our websites. Please click the button below to be taken to the RPN Blog signup page. We never rent, sell or trade your personal information, as we here at RPN understand it is a privilege to be able to contact you with our insight.

About the AuthorRecipe PublishingInterests: I enjoy sharing quick and easy home made recipes. My favorites are Mexican Recipes, Pizza Recipes, and Simple Desserts. Thanks for viewing my collection of home made recipes. Website:Recipe Publishing Blog