Mexican Food Safari

1st August 2008 | 09:00 AET

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Mexican cuisine is one of the most ancient and developed on earth but is little known outside its borders and too many restaurants are more “Tex” than “Mex” according to the small number of Mexican expatriates in Australia, some of whom welcome Food Safari host Maeve O’Meara into their kitchens to explain some of the recipes and tips. Author and chef Rafael Nazario explains some of the top ingredients needed for the Mexican kitchen – from chillies both dried and fresh; tomatillos which look like green tomatoes but are members of the Chinese gooseberry family; sauces and pastes and much more.

We see tortillas made by a machine and by hand at home and then fried for use in a very easy soup made by expatriate home-cook Gina Castaneda. The art of making refried beans is demonstrated by cook Emilio Gomez and a fresh delicious guacamole is whipped by his daughter Guadalupe Feint who then quickly turns her hand to a fast pico di gallo salsa.

Chef Rafael then uses those ingredients to demonstrate the intricacies of a burrito, taco and quesadilla. Tortilla maker and importer of Mexican products Marycarmen Aguilera makes a very simple marinated chicken for the barbie then Maeve joins a gang of women who could have stepped out of the movie “Like Water for Chocolate” who have got together to make tamales, made with corn masa and steamed in corn husks.

We couldn’t have a Mexican episode without mole – and young social worker Kimberly Chiswell demonstrates a very simple green mole using pork. And we finish the episode with a smooth velvety cup of spiced Mexican hot chocolate.

Featured Businesses

Mary Dias Foods
Unit 19, 16 Loyalty Rd
North Rocks NSW 2151
(02) 98812 3233

Azteca's Mexican Restaurant
140 Avoca St
Randwick NSW 2031
(02) 9398 1020

Vera Cruz Restaurant
314 Military Rd
Cremorne NSW 2090
(02) 9904 5818

Gusman Y Gomez Tacqueria
175 King St
Newtown NSW 2042
(02) 9517 1533