Q: I am visiting Mexico next month. What is your opinion on eating in street markets? Are they safe?
Doug in L..A.
Street markets, or tianguis, are one of Mexico’s greatest treasures. A visit to Mexico just wouldn’t be complete with a trip to explore the sights and smells of a local tianguis. Depending on the size of the market you can find a dizzying collection of household goods, clothing, pottery, electronics, CDs, piñatas and arts & crafts.
Usually people, however, are most impressed by the food stands. The stalls offer beautifully displayed produce, mountains of dried and fresh chilies, herbs, spices, grains, meats and cheeses. In every tianguis there is a section of stands selling prepared food where you can get a taste of real Mexican cooking. If you are adventurous, please don’t pass up the opportunity have this unique culinary experience.
There are some basic rules to go by, however, to lessen the chance of getting an upset stomach or worse. Walk around the whole area and observe which stalls are the busiest. The busier the stall, the higher turnover of ingredients, which means they are fresh. Look for a well, organized stall that has a separate container for each ingredient, to lessen the chance of cross-contamination. Quesadillas are usually a safe bet. Sit down at a busy stand and order quesadillas filled with cheese, huitlacoche (corn fungus), squash blossoms, mushrooms or grilled meats. Soups called caldos or sopas are also wonderful. A basic taco of pork, chicken or beef is a nice snack to keep up your energy while shopping. Be sure to taste the salsas that are always placed on the counters for your use.
While I have never had a problem eating ceviche in street markets, if this is your first trip to Mexico, it’s best to skip the seafood and order something that is well cooked on a grill. Have a great trip and happy eating!
Q: What is the best way to get the peel off of a chili?
Paula in D.F.
Peeled chilies are necessary for many dishes such as chiles rellenos and rajas con crema. Although a bit time consuming, it is a skill you need to master if you are going to make Mexican food on a regular basis.
The first step is to pick the right chili. Choose chilies that are plump and smooth. Char the chili until the skin is blackened on all sides. You can do this by placing the chili directly over a gas burner on your stove while turning occasionally with a pair of tongs. If you don’t have a gas stove, place the chilies on a baking sheet and place them under the broiler, turning them as they blacken.
Place the charred chilies in a heavy plastic bag, paper bag or in a sealed container. The steam will loosen the skin from the flesh. Once cooled, the chilies should be easy to peel. An easy way to get the skin off chilies is to peel them under running water. I don’t like this method, however, because it washes a lot of the flavor away.
If your chilies are very potent consider wearing gloves. Always wash your hands well with soap and soft brush after handling chilies to remove any irritating oils that may remain on your skin.
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