Hola Mexico!

It's quite easy to whip up your favourite Mexican favourites...

Cruncy nachos with spicy toppings, warm tacos with delightful fillings, fresh guacamole... Mexican cuisine is all about making the best of the ingredients. Craving for some good Mexican cuisine? Why not try making some of it in your kitchen? No, it’s not all that hard. Here are some easy-peasy Mexican recipes for you to try...

Tortilla Soup

Ingredients: Onion sliced 50 gm, garlic chopped 1 tsp, tomatoes chopped 200 gm, chicken stock 1 litre, oil 2 tbsp, jalapeno seeded & deveined, chopped 1 pc, chipotle in adobo sauce 2 tbsp, pulled chicken 4 tbsp, sour cream 4 tsp, avocado peeled, pitted & sliced ¼ pc, fried corn tortilla triangles 40 gm, cilantro chopped 1 tsp, fried corn tortilla strips 4 tbsp, salt to taste.

Method: Heat oil in a pan, add the garlic and onion, cook until both are golden brown. Add in the jalapeno, half of the chipotle in adobo sauce and tomatoes. Cook over low heat until almost tender. Add chicken broth and bring the mix to boil. Then simmer for about 15 minutes. Add pulled chicken and simmer for 5 minutes. Finish by adding fried tortilla triangles, simmer for 5 minutes, add cilantro and salt to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, top it up with fried tortilla strips, a quenelle of sour cream, chipotle and sliced avocado. Serve hot.

Pulled Chicken

Ingredients: Chicken leg boneless 100 gm, onion sliced 1 tbsp, garlic smashed 1 tsp, cumin powder 1/2 tsp, fresh jalapeno chopped 1/2 tsp, chipotle in adobo sauce 1 tbsp, tomato puree 1 tbsp, salt a pinch, oil 1 tbsp, chicken stock/water as required.

Smashed avocado toast

Method: Heat oil and sauté all ingredients. Add water to cover the chicken. Bring to a slow boil, cover, lower heat to a simmer and cook until chicken starts to shred (30-40 min). Cool & shred.

Smashed Avocado Toast

Ingredients: Ripe avocado 2, cilantro chopped 1 tbsp, jalapeno chopped 1 tsp, lemon juice 1 tbsp, extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp, salt to taste, pickled Habanero onions 1 tbsp, queso fresco/Goat cheese 1 tbsp, blasted capers 1 tbsp, torta bread/baguette 4 slices.

Method: Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avocado from the peel, place in a mixing bowl. Mash the avocado, but keep it chunky. Add cilantro, jalapeno, lemon juice, half of extra virgin olive oil, salt and mix. Toast the bread until brown and crisp. Lightly brush the toast with extra virgin olive oil. Top it up with the smashed avocado mix, pickled habanero onions, queso fresco chunks and capers.

Guacamole

Ingredients: One big ripe avocado, 40 gm tomatoes seeds & pulp removed & chopped, 15 gm onion chopped, 5 gm cilantro chopped, 2 gm jalapeno chopped, 4 ml lemon juice & olive oil, salt to taste.

Method: Cut avocados in half. Remove the seed. Scoop out avocado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl. Mash the avocado with a fork, but keep it chunky. Add rest of the ingredients and mix. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation from the air reaching it. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with yellow & blue corn tortillas.

(The author is culinary director, Sanchez & Sriracha)