Q: I recently moved to the city and am looking for good Middle Eastern food. Where can I find hummus and other similar ingredients? I am looking for both restaurants and stores.
Patricia, Mexico City
A: I have saved this question because we have some good information on Middle Eastern food in this section today. For restaurants, you can do an online search for restaurant guides to Mexico City. There are Lebanese and Middle Eastern restaurants in practically all areas in the city, with many concentrated in the Centro Historico, Condesa and Polanco neighborhoods. There is a small restaurant in Condesa that I go to when I have a falafel craving.
Most major supermarket chains such as Superama and Costco carry ready-made hummus and pita bread. Libanius, the company highlighted in this section today, makes a good hummus in a variety of flavors such as artichoke and olive. There are several brands to choose from. Some are more lemony or garlicky than others, so try a few to find your favorite.
Hummus is easy and inexpensive to make at home. If you haven’t tried it, you may be surprised by how simple it is. Hummus is essentially a purée of garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas), tahini (sesame paste), garlic, lemon, olive oil and water. I like my hummus with an insane amount of garlic, but you may want to try a blanching or roasting method if raw garlic is too strong for you.
Hummus is a very nutritious food. It is high in vitamins C and B6 as well as vitamin E, folate and thiamin. It has a high content of important minerals like manganese and copper and also contains calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc. It is a good protein source as it contains 20 essential amino acids, making it a common choice for vegetarians. Because of the tahini paste, hummus does contain about 10% fat, but it is the “good” fat. The fat in hummus contains Omega 3 fatty acids, which aid in combating depression and anxiety.
Q: My friend told me she heard there are seven famous moles of Oaxaca, but we don’t know what they are. I only know the traditional mole poblano (from Puebla). Can you tell us the names of the moles and how they differ?
Syliva, Ajijic
Oaxaca is internationally known for it’s unique cuisine. Of the many delicacies that come from this beautiful southern state, the “Seven Moles of Oaxaca” are arguably the most famous. Here they are, with the ingredients that make them unique.
1. Mole Negro – The most complex, with six chilies: chilguacle, mulatto, pasilla, ancho, guaillo and chilpocle. Also chocolate, plantain, ginger, allspice and peanuts.
2. Mole Rojo - Chocolate, guajillo and ancho chilie, peanuts, oregano, cinnamon and sesame
3. Mole Coloradito – Ancho and pasilla chilie, sesame, almonds, oregano, cinnamon
4. Mole Amarillo – Guajillo, ancho and costeño chiles, hierba santa and tomatillos. Thickened with corn dough.
5. Mole Verde – Squash seeds (pepitos), tomatilos and pecans or walnuts
6. Mole Chíchilo – Tomatillos, green chilie, cumin, cloves. Thickened with corn dough.
7. Mancha Manteles – Ancho Chilie, tomato, garlic, cloves. This mole is served with sliced plantains and pineapple.
The above list is not complete (most moles contain over 20 ingredients), but it gives you an idea of the main flavors. If you are interested in moles, it is a good idea to make one from scratch at least once in order to fully appreciate all that goes in to these wonderful mixtures.
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