The Desendents of Mexican Food

Where Do the Ingredients Come From?

Many people love to go out for quesadillas, tacos, and many other delicious items off a menu at Mexican Restaurant. What many people are not aware of is that the African culture had a huge impact on the development of Mexico, especially food.

Some African slaves accompanied their Spanish-born owners, during the exploration of New-Spain, to what is known as present day Mexico. The first African to set foot on these lands was during Columbus' s second expedition. Twenty years later, Hernan Cortez arrived in Mexico with the first black slaves from the West Indies.

These slaves were converted to Christianity and forced to work as household servants. As time went on the two cultures mixed and the different flavors and favorite recipes were created. Seafood dished shared both Mexican and African ingredients. Rice, Plantains, coffee, the tamarind, and jamaica for Agua Frescas, sesame seeds, as well as watermelons and yams, which are household favorites are all African originated ingredients.

Recipe featuring African Influence and one of my favorite foods...PLANTAINS!

• Recipe is cheap and even beginners can cook it!
• Source suggestion: use vegetable oil to fry the plantains because the oil can withstand high heat 
• When looking for the perfect plantain, look for one that has a black peel as this indicates that the plantain is ripe and sweet 

Plantains: 

• Preparation time 5 minutes.
• This recipe serves 2 plates.

Ingredients

1 Plantain (14.1 oz)

1 cup of Vegetable Oil (8.4 fl oz)

Cookware

1 Frying Pan

1 Chopping Board

1 Tongs

1 Knife

2 Paper Towels

Directions

1. Peel 1 plantain.
2. Cut the plantain that was peeled into diagonal slices of approximately .2’’ thick, then reserve.
3. Pour in a frying pan approximately 1 cup of vegetable oil, so you end up having about a 1/2’’ deep oil layer.
4. Heat the frying pan oil over high heat.
5. Put in the frying pan the plantain slices that were cut and fry them for about 2 minutes per each side, until they are moderately fried.

1. Transfer from the frying pan to some paper towels, with the tongs, the fried plantain slices so they dry and the fat excess is absorbed.

Tip: Add lime to these plantains (add flavor)

Recommendation: If the fried plains are served as snack sprinkle some grated fresh cheese over them, it will give them more presentation and flavor

ADIOS UNTIL NEXT TIME!
-Gillian 

Sources: 
http://www.ucpress.edu/blog/15284/mexican-cuisines-african-roots/

http://www.mexican-authentic-recipes.com/appetizers-fried_plantains.html