My girlfriend Melissa Volitich and I have just come back from an amazing 2 months touring around Mexico. Naturally I am getting a lot of people asking me how it was, what my favorite destination was, and what I enjoyed most about the trip. At the risk of sounding like a greedy guts, the one thing which I loved most about my time in Mexico was the food, simply amazing! What we consider to be Mexican food north of the border is in fact a slight variation on some staple meals down there, and here are my favorite local dishes.

Tamales

Each morning and evening in the country, men and women jump on their modified bicycles to shout in the streets to let you know that the tamales are ready. These beautiful little packages are maize which has been flavored with veg, herbs and spices, as well as a little bit of beef, and then wrapped in a banana leaf and slowly steamed. You buy them in the leaf and use it as your plate, and then enjoy the tasty contents.

Tacos al Pastor

There are over 100 different types of tacos in Mexico, using soft maize shells, not the hard variety that we have up here, but my favorite of all is called tacos al pastor. Brought by the Arabs, this is lamb which is marinaded and then piled high and placed on a spit, and then cooked like a kebab on the heat. These are very cheap tacos and you will serve them with cilantro, onions, a touch of salsa and a small chunk of pineapple. If you aren’t sure what all of the tacos options are when you go to a restaurant, just look out for the only meat cooking on a spit, this is pastor.

Pozole

This wonderful stew dish is made with ears of maize that have been slowly cooked in a beef stock, with some bits of beef in there which have floated out from the bone, delicious. Added to the stew is vegetables like radish and onions and some chick peas, which you then simply add some lemon and some spicy sauce and you’re all set. This is the perfect comfort food and it is very filling.

Chilaquiles

This dish is a great hangover cure and a tasty way to eat breakfast, the preparation is simple and the flavors are amazing. People who sell chilaquiles will start off with spicy sauce, either red or green, which is made using dried chiles. The sauce is then served with dried, flavorless tortillas ( similar to the chips you put in nachos) and then you can either have it with shredded chicken or some freshly cooked beef, with the option of an egg on top. The final touch to the dish is some grated white cheese and some fresh sour cream, eaten with a warm bread bun, beautiful.

What are your favorite Mexican dishes? Let us know in the comments below.