Left Continue shopping
Your Order

You have no items in your cart

You might like
Northern Style Flour Tortillas

Northern Style Flour Tortillas

Northern Style Flour Tortillas

INGREDIENTS - makes 24 to 30 tortillas

4 cups all purpose flour (avoid flours with high protein content, anything under 13%)
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup vegetable shortening, lard, or room temperature butter
1 3/4 cup hot water

  1. Mix dry ingredients. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
  2. Add shortening. Add vegetable shortening (or whatever fat you are using) and rub it in with your fingers. It should resemble sand with a few pea-sized pieces of fat.
  3. Knead. Add water and mix to form a wet dough. It will be sticky. Turn out onto a unfloured work surface and knead for 5 minutes. It will be really sticky at first but eventually will form a smooth dough. Use a bench scraper to scrape the dough off the counter as you go if necessary.
  4. Let rest. Grease a large bowl place the dough inside and turn to coat in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes. 
  5. Divide the dough. Pinch off a small piece of dough (a digital scale is really handy for this). The size of the piece will depend on how large your comal or skillet you will be cooking the tortillas on is (a little bigger than a golf ball) which give us 8-inch tortillas. Roll into smooth balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth. 
  6. Heat the pan. Place a comal or other nonstick skillet over medium heat and let warm at least 3 minutes before you cook any tortillas on it. 
  7. Roll the tortillas. Place a ball of dough on a lightly floured counter and flour a rolling pin. Roll each ball into a very thin circle. You should be able to see your hand through it. The thinner the better. 
  8. Cook. As you roll place each tortilla on the hot, dry skillet and cook undisturbed until toasted and bubbles cover the surface, about 1 minute. Flip and cook another minute on the other side. Keep warm in a clean towel and repeat with remaining dough.
Read more
Entomatadas alla Pollock

Entomatadas alla Pollock

This simple homey Mexican recipe is a comfort food for all who know it, entomatadas like enchiladas or enfrijoladas or enmoladas, all carry the same idea but a different sauce.

Entomatadas have a simple non spicy tomato sauce that reminds one of hugs from la abuela!

Entomatadas alla Pollock

Tortillas Komali 15cm Tradicional

3 Chile Guajillo

2 Chile Arbol

3 tomatoes

1/2 onion

1 garlic 

Oil for frying

salt to taste 

Fillings: shredded chicken, cheese, or beans

Toppings: crema, chile oil, lettuce, crumbly cheese

Instructions:

1. Prepare your salsa, clean your chiles by taking out the seeds and veins, soak them in hot water until soft. Add all tomatoes, onion, garlic and chiles in your blender and blend until very smooth, salt to taste. 

2. Fry off your salsa until it gets a bright red color, then fry off your tortillas until they become flexible and soft. Set them aside.

3. Set up your plate with some salsa at the bottom, dip the tortillas in the salsa and fill them with your desired filling

4. Top them with more salsa and your desired toppings.

Provecho!

Abuela’s Tip: Anytime you’re making salsa Macha or chile oil in your blender is a good time to make this simple tomato sauce, since your blender will be coated with an amazing residual goodness, blend the tomatoes/onion/garlic to clean out your blender and make this recipe without using extra Chiles.

 

Read more
Easy Bean Soup or Tlatlapas

Easy Bean Soup or Tlatlapas

Why on this hot Summer day are we craving soup, you may ask?

As early as I remember my mother bless her heart, always decided to cook lentil soup (which I hated as a child, now I love 😆), and I guess the tradition stuck because on this hot summer day I’m here stirring and stirring my Mexican frijoles soup.

This soup is traditionally called Tlatlapas which is an ‘easier’ take on cooking dry beans from scratch (that’ll really make your kitchen hot) which I always find way to time consuming and not very satisfying.

 

Recipe:

Easy Bean Soup or Tlatlapas 

500gr of dry beans (any will do)

1/2 onion

1 garlic clove

2 chile arbol

1 chile morita

12 cups of broth or water

olive oil

salt to taste

1. Heat your pan on medium heat and toast your dry beans on low heat, let them cool off and grind them as fine as powder.

2. Fry off your onion and garlic then add the bean powder.

3. Stir until evenly coated and start adding the liquid cup by cup.

4. Stir occasionally until you achieve an even smooth consistency, salt to taste.

Enjoy! Provecho!

There are a lot of known toppings for this soup like nopales in strips, fried strips of chile or epazote. We love this soup with very thin tortilla strips and a mild chile oil. 

Abuela's Note: If you don't have a mortero or metate (the traditional way of grinding grains and beans) you can use a blender. If the powder is not fine enough, cook it through as much as you can and blend it until smooth.

Read more
The Easiest Tamales de Pibil

The Easiest Tamales de Pibil

Did you get the baby Jesus in your rosca slice and don't know how to make tamales?

Here is the easiest, four step guide to make the perfect tamales for Dia de la Candelaria!

The Easiest Tamales de Pibil 

Prep: 45 min

Serves 4

Recipe:

70gr tamal leaves

500 gr maseca tamal

300 gr Doña maria salsa pibil

250 gr shredded chicken

400 gr chicken stock

400 gr shortening or lard

1 tbsp baking powder

Salt to taste

 

For toppings:

Pickled purple onion

Extra Doña maria salsa pibil

 IN 4 STEPS!

Step 1: Make the dough whip your shortening, add 3 cups of the tamal flour to a large bowl, with your hands gradually alternate between adding the shortening and broth, add salt to taste and baking powder. Mix until the masa is uniform and light, the texture should be that of a thick cake batter.

Step 2: Prep your filling mix the shredded chicken with the salsa pibil let it simmer for 5-7 minutes, set it aside.

Step 3: assemble the tamales pat the tamal leaf dry, then fill them assembly line-style: on the wide end of the husk, with a spoon spread 3 tablespoons dough to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Top each with 2 tb of the chicken pibil. Fold the long sides of the husk over the filling. Make sure they overlap slightly for a secure closure. Fold the narrow end of husk over. Tie with a strip of husk to secure. Repeat until all of the husks are filled and secured.

Step 4: Steam! Place a large steamer basket in a your stockpot over 1 in. Of water. Place the tamales upright in the steamer and cover with remaining tamal leaves. Bring the water to a boil. Let them steam, covered, for 45 minutes to an hour.

Enjoy!

Read more
Step-by-step guide to the best Holiday Tamales!

Step-by-step guide to the best Holiday Tamales!

The word tamal comes from the Nahuatl tamalli which means wrapped. This delicious dish is of indigenous origin, prepared with cooked corn dough and wrapped in leaves of different plants (banana, corn, maguey, among others). Stuffed with vegetables, chili, sauce, meat, chicken or fruit, sweet or savory, for all tastes! Tamales are the most popular among Mexicans.

They say there are between 500 and 5,000 different tamales across the country. Can you imagine all those flavors?

It is a delicious part of the Mexican traditional dishes, In Mexico we eat them on many important occasions, like the Day of the dead, when life and death are celebrated, tamales are put on altars as offerings to the dead and enjoyed in the company of our loved ones. We also celebrate Candlemas day; On February 2, the person who receives the Baby Jesus figurine in their Rosca de Reyes needs to invite everyone for tamales.

These are some of the tamal varieties from all over Mexico, the possibilities are really endless, they estimate that per year the production and sale of tamales around the country is in the hundreds of millions!

Holiday Tamales Recipe

Ingredients:

  • Tamal leaf
  • Tamal Flour Maseca 1kg
  • Isadora Beans
  • Rajas Jalapeño
  • If you chose the filling rajas con queso: 200 gr of white cheese (we recommend queijo flamengo, gouda or mozzarella)
  • 4-5 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 cups of shortening veg or pork lard, you can also sub with a cup of oil
  • 1 tablespoon of baking powder
  • 2 liters of water
  • Fine Salt 

Equipment Needed

Below is the list of tools needed to make the recipe,

  • 1 large tall stockpot (for steaming the tamales)
  • Steamer basket
  • 2 large bowls
  • Electric Mixer (optional for whipping the shortening/lard)
  • 1 small pot (for making broth)
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Cutting board
  • Knife

Prep for Tamales:

Step 1: Soak the corn husks tamal leaf

Rinse the corn husks to remove any debris, then place into a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Let them soak for at least one hour.

Step 3: Prep your broth

If you’re making fresh broth, please prepare before hand, if you’re making broth from bouillon cubes make sure its cool to touch by the time of the workshop.

Step 2: Whip your shortening or pork lard

Make sure the vegetable shortening or pork lard is at room temperature for easy handling, the traditional way to whip the shortening/lard to achieve fluffy tamales is to do it by hand which takes 10-15 minutes, but to simplify this step use an electric mixer on medium to high speed for around 2-3 minutes. If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can whip the shortening/lard by hand, the technique is to melt it with the warmth of your hands, by squishing it and tossing it back on the bowl, repeat this for 10-15 minutes. The shortening/lard should look white, light and creamy, adding volume to the shortening/lard will yield a lighter masa for tamales.

Make the Tamales!

STEP 1: MAKE THE DOUGH

Measure out two to three cups of broth, set the whipped shortening, pork lard, or oil on your workspace and in a large bowl, put 3 cups of the tamal flour, with your hands gradually alternate between adding the shortening and the broth. Mix until the masa is uniform and light, the texture should be that of a thick cake batter.

Pro tip: For a foolproof dough, there is a float test! Take a small chunk of your dough and drop it into a cold cup of water, the dough should float, if it doesn’t you have to keep working it!

STEP 2: PREP YOUR FILLING

Today you had two options for filling, Rajas con Queso and Beans with chipotle.

For the rajas con queso, we have provided you a can of rajas which already comes cut in strips, please drain and properly shake out the water, we don’t want soggy tamales.

For the beans and chipotle, open the packet of beans and put the beans in a small bowl. Open the can of chipotle, take out the chilies in the chipotle can and cut them into manageable strips to add to your tamales.

STEP 3: ASSEMBLE THE TAMALES

Drain the tamal leaves that have been soaking for the last hour, and pat them dry, then we will fill them assembly line-style:

  • On the wide end of the husk, with a spoon spread 3 tablespoons dough to within 1/2 inch of the edges
  • Top each with 2 rajas and 1 strip of cheese OR 2 tablespoons of beans and 1 strip of chipotle
  • Fold the long sides of the husk over the filling. Make sure they overlap slightly for a secure closure
  • Fold the narrow end of husk over
  • Tie with a strip of husk to secure
  • Repeat until all of the husks are filled and secured 

Pro tip: Treat your spoon like a paint brush and your filling like the paint on the corn husk, put the leaf up to the light and if there are noticeable gaps on the leaf not covered by the dough then you need to cover those. In my family we don’t like to make fat tamales, so a thin even layer of dough on the leaf is optimal.

STEP 4: STEAM

Place a large steamer basket in a your stockpot over 1 in. of water. Place the tamales upright in the steamer and cover with remaining tamal leaves. Bring the water to a boil. Let them steam, covered, for 45 minutes to an hour.

Pro tip: This is a long steam, and water level will drop as the water boils off. Be sure to check on the water frequently, add more water as needed. You don’t want the pot to boil dry; this can damage the pot and makes for sad tamales. Mexican grandmas sometimes put a coin at the bottom of the pot so that it rattles when the water is getting low!

To see if they are cooked take one tamal out let it cool for 5-10 minutes and if the dough peels away cleanly from the leaf its ready, if the dough is still soft steam for another 15-20 minutes.

Tamales of the variety that we’ve just made can be served with salsa on top or sour cream, you can also enjoy these for breakfast with a fried egg on top!

To reheat them, place them in a plate still wrapped in their corn husk in and microwave for 2-3 minutes or take them out of their corn husk and lightly fry them on a pan, they will develop a crunchy exterior!

 

Pro tip: Uncooked tamales can be frozen for later, just be sure to pack them tightly in freezer bags before freezing. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and then steam for for 45 minutes to an hour.

Read more
Easy Chiles Rellenos

Easy Chiles Rellenos

This is the easiest chile relleno recipe using our dried chile ancho, follow our step by step guide and serve this beautiful dish to your friends and family!

Ingredients for the Chiles Rellenos:

  1. Casa Mexicana Chile Ancho
  2. 350gr of white cheese (we recommend queijo flamengo or mozzarella)
  3. 2 liters of water
  4. 3 eggs
  5. 2 tbs of wheat flour
  6. ½ tsp baking powder
  7. 6 tbs cooking oil
  8. Cilantro for garnish (optional)
  9. Serve with Komali Tradicional 500gr 

Ingredients for the Chile relleno salsa:

    1. Casa Mexicana Chile guajillo
    2. Casa Mexicana Chile árbol
    3. Salt
    4. 3 tomatoes
    5. ½ onion
    6. 1 garlic clove

STEP 1 – HYDRATE THE ANCHO CHILIES

Start by carefully making a transversal cut in the chilies, just on one side, remove the seeds and veins. Let them soak in a bowl with enough hot water for 5 minutes to soften them out, drain. Dry with a paper towel and set aside.

STEP 2 – PREPARE THE FILLING

To prepare the filling, heat a tablespoon of oil in one pot and fry the chopped onion for a couple of minutes, then add the beans and continue cooking for a couple of minutes. Add the shredded cheese and season with salt if necessary and reserve. Fill each ancho with the previous mixture, you can also use meat or veggie picadillo as well as just cheese for filling.

STEP 3 – WHIP THE EGGS

Beat the whites to nougat in a bowl for 5 minutes until they turn white and frothy. Add the yolks and continue beating until integrated. When the whip is ready, prepare the frying pan by adding enough cooking oil and set medium heat. Stir each chile ancho in the and fry in the pan when the oil is very hot, one or two at a time.

STEP 4 – PREPARE THE SALSA

In a small pot add 4 cups of water, add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, guajillo and árbol chilies. Let it boil for 5-6 minutes. Transfer the ingredients to a food processor along with some of the boiling water in the pot and blend for 30 seconds. Discard the rest of the water. In the same pot strain the sauce with the colander and bring to boil for 3-5 minutes. 

STEP 5 – SERVE 

Once all the chilies are evenly fried, they are ready to serve! Start by placing you chile ancho on an extended dish, pour the salsa, top with sour cream, cilantro or parsley. Enjoy!

Read more
Salsa Chipotle Morita

Salsa Chipotle Morita

With this recipe you will learn how to make salsa chipotle that you can enjoy with some simple nachos or use as an ingredient to season your best dishes.

Ingredients:

50 grams of dried Casa Mexicana chile chipotle morita

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoons of brown sugar

1 tablespoons of white vinegar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup of water (250 milliliters)

Preparation:

  1. Cook the chiles together with the sugar in a pot with the water until the chiles are soft. Then drain and reserve the chilies and the cooking water separately.
  2. Remove the small stems of the morita peppers and blend together the cooking water, spices, salt and vinegar. This step is to taste, you can blend until you get a liquid sauce or, on the contrary, leave small pieces of chili.
Read more
Salsa Taquera

Salsa Taquera

This is the classic salsa they serve at any taco stand in Mexico, spicy with its chile de arbol base perfect carne asada tacos!

 Ingredients:

3 tomatoes

1/2 white onion

Casa Mexicana Chile de árbol to taste (we recommend 4-5)

1 garlic clove

Salt to taste

2 cups Water

 

Preparation:

  1. Place a pot over high heat, add the water, tomatoes, chili, onion and garlic together, the water level should be the same level as the ingredients.
  2. Cook all the ingredients covered for 15 minutes, we will know that they will be ready when the tomato has started peeling out and the chili has lost its hardness.
  3. Stir the ingredients every 7-10 minutes, so that all the vegetables are cooked.
  4. Let the pot sit and cool for a few minutes before adding the ingredients to the blender.
  5. Add salt to taste.
  6. Blend everything and enjoy with your tacos.
Read more
Salsa Pasilla Tatemada

Salsa Pasilla Tatemada

This salsa has a sweeter tone than other chili salsas. Use this salsa to accompany fish, shellfish or any of your favorite tacos or totopos!

 Ingredients:

2 Casa Mexicana Pasilla chiles

2 tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove

1/2 onion

Salt to taste

Preparation:

  1. Start by cleaning and removing the chile seeds.
  2. In a pan, start the tatemado process by adding the pasilla chiles first until they’re becoming aromatic about 2 minutes, remove the chiles set them aside, chop the onion in four and add to the pan with the tomatoes and the garlic for about 8 minutes. Move constantly, every 40-60 seconds to avoid burning, we want to achieve a nice char on the vegetables.
  3. Once the tatemado is ready, add all the ingredients to the molcajete or food processer/blender. For a classic chunky consistency pulse for less than 3 seconds three times. For a smooth consistency allow food processer to work for at least 30 seconds continuously. Your first salsa is ready to serve!
Read more
Mexican Chiles A Complete Guide

Mexican Chiles A Complete Guide

Mexican Chiles are a staple ingredient of many of the best Mexican recipes, there are over 60 types of chiles produced in Mexico adding complexity, spice and depth. Fresh chiles are used to add crunchiness, heat and color to salsas, while they can be eaten raw, when they are dried their complexion and taste change completely, like a culinary chameleon!

Dried chiles need only to be deseeded, destemmed and toasted on a comal, they can also be fried or soaked in hot water to be ready for any recipe.

Here are some of the most iconic chiles in Mexico,

Chile Guajillo

Guajillo chiles are the dried twin of the mirasol chile, they are large, thin chiles with red skin and mild spice, add to that their natural sweetness and earthiness and it gives you Mexico's most popular dried pepper. Mostly used for pastes, rubs and caldos (soups/stews), it also pairs well with chocolate!

SCOVILLE RATING: 2,000 – 5,000

Recipes using Chile Guajillo include; Red Pozole, Red enchiladas, Mole de Olla, Asado de Boda, Salsa Roja.

Chile Ancho

Chile Ancho is the dried version of the poblano, they are like a giant raisin and are incredibly fragrant. They can vary in their heat, but you can generally expect a mild to medium and amazingly smoky flavor. Use it for marinades, like adobos, or to make chile paste, this is one of the main chiles for mole.

SCOVILLE RATING: 500-3,000

Recipes using Chile Ancho include; Mole Poblano, Adobo Sauce, Enchiladas Rojas..

Chile Mulato

The Mulato is a darker chile ancho, a fully matured and dried poblano pepper, if you put them side by side you will be able to see the difference in color and identify the mulato from the ancho. They are generally mild in spice paired with their natural sweetness and smokiness, makes it the best chile for moles, salsas and stews.

SCOVILLE RATING: 500 -3,000

Chile Chipotle

We have two types of Chipotle in our store, the meco and the morita, our favorite is the morita, a small but punchy red and ripened jalapeño. This chile is smoked for a bit less time so it retains a soft and fruity complexion. Let these chiles fully soak to achieve smooth salsas, or try our creamy chipotle salsa on this link.

SCOVILLE RATING: 5,000 – 10,000
Chipotle are very popular, especially the canned version with an adobo sauce, they are used in salsas, and to add flavor and spiciness to stews like Caldo Tlalpeño.

Chile de Arbol

Bright red and to handled with care, these long slender chiles are what brings the most spice to all our red salsas. Try toasting them or frying them as your rehydrating method to intensify their earthiness and heat.

SCOVILLE RATING: 15,000 – 30,000

My favorite way of using Chile de Arbol is the way my grandmother Tita taught me, by making a Chile de Arbol Oil on this link.

Chile Pasilla

Pasilla literally translates to 'little raisin' it is a dried chilaca chile, and true to its name it is dark, wrinkly and sweet like a dried fruit. Because their heat is not overpowering, you can use it to elevate any Oaxacan mole and other complex sauces, check out this pasilla sauce here.

SCOVILLE RATING: 1,000 – 3,999

These are typically used for salsas, but can also be stuffed with meats or seafood.

Chile Piquín

These little bird peppers pack the strongest punch of all, at least 10 times that of a jalapeño. This is a chile that the smaller its size the hotter it will be. The Piquín like the Tepin and other common same sized chiles are mostly from the north of Mexico's arid climate. Turn it into a loose poweder for topping mexican mariscos like, ceviches or aguachiles.

 SCOVILLE RATING: 40,000 - 60,000

Tips on Handling Mexican Chiles

If you've never tried your hand at cooking with Mexican chiles, don't be afraid, we are here to guide you!

First things first, wear plastic gloves and do not touch your face (common mistake) while handling the chiles. You will first need to remove the seeds and the veins, easily done over the bin or over the sink to not make a mess.

Buying dried chiles you should always check that they are not broken or no longer smell like anything, that is a sign that they are old, and they won't yield much flavor. If they break easily when you fold them that also means that they have been sold to you past their prime.

Storing your chiles is easy when you buy them from Casa Mexicana, we sell you the freshest chiles in easy to store resealable bags. If you know you will not be using them in the next months, you can also pop them in the freezer and they will their freshness for 6-8 months. But at Casa Mexicana we make our chiles into pastes or chile oils, which always comes in handy when we are in a rush to cook up a Mexican dish!

 

Find our selection of dried chiles at the best prices here!

#MexicanChiles #ScovilleHeatIndex #Spiceupyourmouth #Chilies #Chili #HandletheHeat

 

 

Read more
Guajillo Chili, Tequila & Apricot Glazed Turkey

Guajillo Chili, Tequila & Apricot Glazed Turkey

Are you tired of the same old, dry turkey every Christmas? Our Mexican twist on the classic will have you making this turkey year round!

Ingredients

5 Guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

3 3/4 cups chicken broth, divided

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

3 tablespoons tequila

Salt

1 (14-pound) turkey, giblets removed and reserved

1/3 cup apricot preserves (recommended: Bon Maman)

2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled

2 cloves garlic

Freshly ground black pepper

Dried apricots, California chiles, fresh cilantro, for garnish

Special equipment: poultry flavor injector (available at gourmet stores)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the chiles and 2 cups of chicken broth in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then turn off the heat. Let the chiles stand for 5 to 10 minutes to soften.

Mix 3/4 cup of chicken broth, melted butter, and tequila in a small metal bowl. Season with salt. Using a kitchen flavor injector, inject the mixture into the thighs, breasts, and legs of the turkey. If the mixture solidifies, place the bowl over a gas burner or in a warm oven until the butter melts.

Place the turkey on a rack set in a large roasting pan. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey body. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Place the giblets in the pan.

Transfer the chiles with their liquid to a blender. Add the apricot preserves, oregano, and garlic and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Transfer the chile puree to a medium saucepan. Rub about 1 cup of the chile puree all over the turkey (reserve the rest for the sauce at the end), working some of it between the breast and the skin. Season the turkey generously with salt and pepper.

Add 1 cup broth to the roasting pan and roast for 45 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue roasting the turkey until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 2 hours longer, basting every 20 minutes with drippings. Cover the turkey loosely with foil if it begins to brown.

Transfer the turkey to a platter, reserving the pan juices, and allow to rest while preparing the sauce.

Strain the pan juices into a large, heavy saucepan and discard any solids. Spoon the fat from the top of the liquid and discard. Add the remaining chile puree to the saucepan and stir until well combined. Boil over high heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Recipe Courtesy of Chef Marcela Valladolid, Food Network.

Read more
Mexican Christmas dishes that you'll want to make all year!

Mexican Christmas dishes that you'll want to make all year!

What does Christmas mean to you? Absolutely and under all circumstances for us at Casa Mexico it means food!

In Mexico we have our pre Christmas food, our post Christmas food, we even have a whole Marathon of celebrations and of course more eating named Guadalupe-Reyes all with its own dishes and traditions. So let's get started with the best of Mexican Christmas foods that will inspire you to start cooking!

Tamales

As if we already don't spoil each other enough during Christmas, the wonderful cooks in our families also make edible little gift wrapped food, parcels of joy called Tamales. Depending on the region in Mexico you will find different kinds, for example the south will have theirs wrapped in banana leaves because of their abundance in their tropical climate, the north will have more meat based tamales wrapped in corn husk but all made with the spongiest tamal masa that melts in your mouth. My favorites would have to be the chicken in mole and the pork in salsa verde, see the recipes and ingredients available here!

Pozole

A Pozole is a hearty soup that warms your innards and perhaps your frozen cold heart into loving the Christmas spirit. This very special dish is the king of the plates served during this season, wether it be made of chicken, pork or vegetarian, it can't be served without its Mexican oregano, tostadas, radish, onion and accompanying chili oils, see the recipe and ingredients needed here!

Los Romeritos

Romeritos is a traditional dish from Central Mexico, a romerito is a tender sprig of the sepweed boiled and served with a dark mole sauce, this can be served with potatoes, shrimp or nopales (cactus paddle). The story of the romeritos is a special one with a beginning with the Aztecs, which used to eat them mixed with a small egg variety called ahuautles, which curiously have a very similar taste to the shrimp. During colonization this ingredient formed part of the gastronomy of the convents, one of the reasons why it is eaten during Christmas is because like during Lent it wasn't customary to eat meats during Christmas, resulting in the Romeritos staying in our holiday table! See the recipe and ingredients needed here!

 

Atoles

Of course our Christmas would not be complete without it's own special drinks, an atole is a thick corn based drink that can be spiced with cinnamon, chocolate, or seasonal fruits like tamarind and guayaba. See the recipe and ingredients needed here!

 

 

El Turkey

Yes we also have a turkey or huajolote at the table, but being Mexican and lovers of spice we have beautiful preparations and presentations to the sometimes boring, mostly dry regular Christmas turkey. Have you ever heard of a tequila - Guajillo chili - apricot glazed turkey for Christmas? or a Turkey al Adobo? We have endless ways to make our turkey more exciting, see the recipes and ingredients available here!

Buñuelos

These beautiful crispy treats are quintessential to the Christmas celebrations, also known as hojuelas, they're made from frying flour tortillas then serving them with a delicate piloncillo syrup or cajeta if you're feeling extra naughty, they're basically your dream dessert on a plate. See the recipe and ingredients needed here!

#MexicanChristmas #ChristmasDishes #Tamales #Pozole #Romeritos #Atoles #Buñuelos #TequilaTurkey

Read more
The History of Cajeta + Recipes

The History of Cajeta + Recipes

Since viceregal times, in New Spain milk sweets based on the Iberian tradition have been made. This was thanks to the easy adaptation and proliferation of goats and the difficult coupling of cattle.

At first, it was in the "Bajío" region, as well as in the old "Villa de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Celaya" that the use of goat's milk was substituted in the original recipes that were based on cow's milk. This resulted in a recipe and a different sweet that acquired the name "cajeta" due to the wooden boxes in which it was originally stored.

"Mexico is the only place in the world where there is cajeta made with goat's milk."

In September 2010, cajeta was declared: "The dessert of the Mexican Bicentennial"

Why it's better with goats milk?

The biggest difference between the cajeta and the dulce de leche is in the use of goat's milk instead of cow's milk. Is it better?

In fact, goat's milk has benefits such as:

-Natural anti-inflammatory

-Less fat

-Rich in calcium

-More bio-compatibility

All these characteristics make goat's milk stand out as perfect for making a sweet like cajeta, instead of making only dulce de leche like cow's milk. We could also add the most important difference derived from this, the unique flavor.

The history of the cajeta is a story of a new identity of the Mexican people expressed in the differentiation of a traditional Spanish sweet, to give rise to one with a more exquisite and unique flavor using goat's milk.

Recipes with Cajeta

Coyotas de Cajeta (Cajeta Coyotes)

Have you heard of coyotas? Well, we will tell you a little about them: they are one of the typical desserts of Sonora in the North of Mexico and they are filled with cajeta or piloncillo. The name "coyotas" comes from the ancient custom of calling children "coyotitos" in the northwest of the country. Join us this time to prepare some delicious Coyotas de Cajeta.

For the Dough,

1 Kg of flour

2 tablespoons Royal

½ Kg of vegetable shortening

2 piloncillos

¼ liter of water

Filling

1 cup of Cajeta Real del Potosí

4 tablespoons of flour

2 piloncillos

Directions

First, grate 2 piloncillos and separate. Grating them well is important so that they blend perfectly with the other ingredients.

Then, mix 1 kg of flour, 1/4 liter of water, 1/2 kilo of vegetable shortening, 2 tablespoons of royal and the 2 grated piloncillos in a bowl.

Then, knead the mixture until it is compacted and can be handled.

Now knead with a rolling pin to unify the mixture, it should be as homogeneous as possible.

Later, cut circles of the same size (either with a cookie cutter or some other utensil).

Now, to prepare the filling in a bowl, mix 1 cup of cajeta, 2 grated piloncillos and 4 tablespoons of flour until the mixture is homogeneous.

Add the filling mixture to one of the dough circles.

Then close with another circle of dough, and press the edges with a fork to prevent the filling from dripping when baking.

Varnish with a little egg.

Bake at 200ºC for about 20 minutes. or until they look golden.

Enjoy!

Atole de Cajeta

How about a delicious atole to accompany your breakfast? Well, we have a better suggestion: a delicious cajeta atole! Follow our recipe and we assure you that you will have a delicious atole to enhance any morning or night.

Ingredients

Makes about 4 cups

1 liter of milk, can be oat, almond or any nut milk as well

1 cup of Maza Real flour

1 cup of Cajeta Real del Potosí

Directions

First, place 1 liter of milk in a pot and heat it.

Once its temperature has risen a little and it is no longer cold, add 1 cup of cajeta. Dissolve the cajeta, moving the mixture with a small spatula while it is heating.

Then, when the cajeta is dissolved in the milk, add 1 cup of the Maza Real flour and stir again until everything is mixed well.

Now, to serve the atole in a jar or container, place a strainer over the container and serve the atole. This is so that no lumps of flour remain in the atole.

Enjoy!

Recipes and Cajeta History Courtesy of Cajeta Real del Potosí

*All products available for purchase are tagged in the recipes.

#CajetaMexicana #NavidadesMexicanas #ChristmasSpirit

Read more
Welcome to Casa Mexicana!

Welcome to Casa Mexicana!

Casa Mexicana was born out of the desire to make authentic Mexican products available at competitive prices for all. We are a 100% proud Mexican company and Portugal's first online Mexican grocery store, shop and marketplace, we sell authentic Mexican products like tortillas, moles, chiles, moles, salsas and our very own taco kits for easy Mexican recipes!

As representations of Mexican food become more and more popular around the world, we aim to become a reference of authenticity, quality, and a guide on how to use and prepare Mexican dishes at home, to foster the appreciation of authentic Mexican cuisine.​

100% Mexicano

Casa Mexicana also acts as a platform for Mexican artisans, cooks and food entrepreneurs locally to promote Mexican artisanal practices such as Otomi hand embroidery and the artisanal production of intricate dishes like tamales, Northern style tortillas and cochinita pibil, as well as specialty sweet breads and desserts like conchas and pan de muertos.

Through our blog we wish to showcase easy recipes and ideas to inspire you to try our products, so even if you are a Mexican chef, restaurant or home cook you will be able to follow the easy instructions and purchase your products directly on our page. Don't miss out on the opportunity to surprise your loved ones with your Mexican food skills! ​ We thank you for visiting our blog and we hope you enjoy this experience!

Mi casa es tu casa!

Read more
Mexican Hot Chocolate Cake

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cake

At Casa Mexicana we are always in awe of the many uses for our products, inventing and experimenting in our kitchen is the way we innovate and are better able to bring you products you will love.

Talking about love, it is hard not to love our old time favorite hot chocolate tablets Chocolate Mexicano has been a staple in Mexican households for more than 70 years! Made of cacao, sugar and cinnamon, we melt into milk and froth it with our beautiful molinillos (soon to be found in Casa México!). As I was cooking our Christmas dinner this year I was inspired to look into Chocolate cakes using chocolate mexicano and couldn't find one! So I decided to invent our own, a truly Mexican chocolate cake!

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 225g/8oz plain flour

  • 350g/12½oz caster sugar

  • 85g/3oz Mexican Chocolate made into powder

  • 1½ tsp baking powder

  • 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

  • 2 free-range eggs

  • 250ml/9fl oz milk

  • 125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil

  • 2 tsp vanilla extract Anita

  • 250ml/9fl oz boiling water

For the chocolate icing

  • 200g/7oz dark chocolate bar

  • 1/2 tsp ground chile de arból

  • Optional: crushed chile de arbol flakes for decorating

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins.

  2. For the chocolate powder, ground one full tablet into a fine powder.

  3. For the cake, place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.

  4. Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)

  5. Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 25–35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

  6. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing.

  7. For the chocolate icing, ground the chile de arból to a fine dust, break the chocolate bar into small pieces and heat the chocolate in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the ground chile de arból the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1–2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake.

  8. To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins.

  9. Spread a little chocolate icing over the top of one of the chocolate cakes, then carefully top with the other cake.

  10. Transfer the cake to a serving plate and ice the cake all over with the chocolate icing, using a palette knife.

Recipes Tips:

The chocolate cake mixture is quite thin, so it's important to use sandwich tins rather than springform tins, which could leak.

*All products available for purchase are tagged in the recipe.

 

Read more
32 results