5 Authentic Mexican Recipes

When most people in the United States say they're craving Mexican food, what they actually want to eat is Tex-Mex, a regional cuisine that uses ingredients and cooking techniques from both the Southwestern United States and from Mexico. Authentic Mexican food doesn't rely on ingredients like beef, sour cream, or ground cumin. Rather, truly authentic Mexican food uses mostly chicken and pork and relies on corn, fresh fruits and vegetables (like tomatillos and chayote), and chipotle peppers.

If there aren't authentic Mexican restaurants near you, we've got five recipes for real Mexican food that you'll love.

Pork Pozole
Hominy is whole-puffed corn kernels that are usually eaten boiled. They're used here, along with pork and cabbage, to make this authentic Mexican stew.
Click here for the recipe.

Rajas con Crema
If you're looking for a truly authentic Mexican recipe, try these poblano peppers in Mexican cream; it's a dish typically served as a complement to tacos.
Click here for the recipe.

Elotes Callejeros
Mexican food relies heavily on corn and this is one of the best corn recipes. Don't be surprised if you get addicted to this cotija cheese-coated grilled corn.
Click here for the recipe.

Roasted Green Salsa with Tomatillos
Salsa, the Spanish word for sauce, gets a distinctly authentic Mexican twist with the addition of tomatillos.
Click here for the recipe.

Mexican Hot Chocolate
Drinking chocolate dates as far back as the ancient Aztecs. This authentic Mexican treat uses cinnamon to spice up the warm chocolate; you could also add a pinch of ground chipotle pepper.
Click here for the recipe.

Kristie Collado is The Daily Meal's Cook Editor. Follow her on Twitter @KColladoCook.