Revolutionary Dishes

October 20th is here and we celebrate the Mexican Revolution. Besides the obvious political and social implications, the time of the Revolution also left a gastronomic legacy that we enjoy to this day.   At the time of the Revolution, there were two well-defined facets of Mexico. Those wealthy individuals who had money and resources and those peasants who did not enjoy the same goods. From the latter, the street Mexican food we know today developed, and from the former, some of the most emblematic dishes of the national haute cuisine. Along with the revolutionary army traveled the adelitas, fierce women who, in addition to fighting, also had the responsibility of cooking for the troops. Among the ingredients they used the most were corn, beans, and chili, as these were the products that could be found in the fields. From the mix of these ingredients, chalupas and picaditas, which we know well, were derived; golden tortillas or those cooked on the grill served with sauce, cheese, and fresh vegetables. On the other hand, the lords of the estates and castles sought to use both ingredients and French techniques in Mexico, and the result of this attempt was convent food. It may not sound very glamorous, but from the direct Gallic influence, dishes such as mole negro and chile en nogada were produced, which, although they did not belong to the same era, did arise from the fusion of Mexican ingredients and French cooking methods. The victories of the revolutionaries were always accompanied by traditional dishes such as mole, barbacoa, tacos, wedding roast, and of course pulque and delicious tortillas. Their high consumption within the battle troops made them famous, and this is why we consume these preparations to this day. It is also known that one of the dishes that was born thanks to the Mexican Revolution is Mole blanco, also called mole de novia, which is made with assorted nuts and white chocolate. This period of the Aztec nation not only defined much of what we eat today but also how we eat it. Those on-the-go dishes of the revolutionaries remained as urban, street food, and antojitos. Those dishes prepared for leaders and political figures, like mole, are still served on special occasions, almost like a celebration where everything is put on the table, and the cultural heritage of the country is enjoyed.   Revolutionary Recipes Recipe for Chalupas Poblanas Ingredients: - 24 corn tortillas - 400 grams of chicken or pork/tinga boiled and shredded - 500 grams of fresh cheese - 1 onion - 1 cup of tomato purée (for the red sauce) - 1 cup of green tomato purée for sauce - 2 cloves of garlic - 4 serrano chiles - oil for frying - chopped lettuce to serve sliced Click here and find the procedure to prepare chalupas poblanas.   Recipe for Traditional Chile en Nogada Ingredients: - 8 poblano chiles - 2 red pomegranates, seeded - 80 grams of chopped parsley - 100 grams of finely chopped onion - 2 cloves of garlic - 400 grams of ground beef - 400 grams of ground pork - 120 grams of chopped acitrón - 50 grams of hydrated raisins - 100 grams of peeled, toasted, and chopped almonds - 200 grams of chopped peach - 200 grams of peeled and chopped pear - 200 grams of golden apple, peeled and diced - 50 grams of sugar - 5 grams of ground cinnamon - salt to taste - pepper to taste - 80 grams of lard - 1/2 kilo of peeled walnut, for the nogada - 100 grams of peeled almonds, for the nogada - 220 grams of cream cheese for the nogada - 80 grams of sugar for the nogada - 400 milliliters of white wine for the nogada - nutmeg to taste, for the nogada - milk (if necessary), for the nogada Click here and find the complete procedure to prepare these delicious chiles en nogada.   Find more revolutionary dishes in the Mexican recipes section of Kiwilimón.