Making it Mexican Street Food

Mexico, despite popular misconception, is not the land of crunchy tacos, ground beef, and shredded cheddar cheese. It is the land of chili, lime, cilantro, and onion. Lime, chili, cilantro, and onion (and meat) on a tortilla are the essence of a taco.

Likewise, in Mexico, lime and chili (hot sauce, especially Valentina brand) can be added to nearly anything, from popcorn or potato chips, to fruit, to beer to make a legitimate snack.

Generally, Mexican street food starts with:

• corn (tortillas, dough or corn-on-the-cob)
• meat (pork, chicken, beef, goat/lamb, fish or shrimp), and often
• fruit

It makes use of the following toppings:

• lime
• chili (powder, salsa or pepper)
• cilantro
• mayonnaise
• cream
• onion
• lettuce, tomato

Some famous Mexican street foods containing the above elements:

• tacos (right, below)
• tamales
• tortas
• quesadillas / sopes
• chilaquiles (left, below)

Some famous examples of normal food that has been “Mexicanized”:

• michelada: beer, lime, and hot sauce
• Hot Nuts: Japanese peanuts, chili, lime
• tamarind pulp with chili and lime
• mango slices with chili and lime

In this way, you too could become Mexican by dousing yourself in lime and chili, but then you would have to be eaten.

In a future post, we will explore the taxonomy of Mexican street foods, from the tame and American-friendly, to the parts of the pig you thought were inedible. Stay tuned.