Authentic Mexican Dishes For Cinco De Mayo
You're on Family Feud. The question is to name five foods Americans eat on Cinco de Mayo. You and your family/other contestants will probably sweep the board with no-brainers such as tacos, nachos, guacamole, salsa, and margaritas. Now imagine the question is to name five foods that are eaten on Cinco de Mayo in Mexico. Survey says? Chances are you may just hear crickets chirping and your knowledge of formulaic Tex-Mex menus won't serve you very well in this regard. This is all to say that Mexicans do not in fact eat the aforementioned items on Cinco de Mayo. So what do they eat and is it really that different from what we eat here stateside? Sí!
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First of all, Cinco de Mayo really isn't celebrated with the fanfare like it is in the States. The foods eaten in Mexico on Cinco de Mayo vary from region to region, making it challenging then to pinpoint a set menu as such that all Mexicans might eat. Although, we can tell you with certainty that hard shell tacos with ground beef, iceberg lettuce, and shredded cheese are not going to be found on any tables in Mexico on the 5th of May.
Depending on their regional customs, one item Mexicans might enjoy on Cinco de Mayo that you may be familiar with are chalupas, though not the type found on fast food menus. There are many dishes that are prepared differently in Mexico in comparison to how we cook and eat them north of their border. There are dishes that may be new to you altogether.
In the event you're ever on the Family Feud and you need to know five dishes Mexicans might eat on Cinco de Mayo, The Daily Meal has your back! Get ready to sweep the board. Keep reading to learn more about authentic Mexican Cinco de Mayo recipes.
Mole Poblano
The sauce in a classic mole poblano is piquant with a hint of chocolate and a slight sweetness. This dish is served on holidays aside from Cinco de Mayo as well. There are as many Mole Poblano recipes as there are Mexican grandmothers but the core ingredients are similar.
Click here for Mole Poblano de Pollo Recipe (Chicken in Chocolate and Chile Sauce).
Camote
In Mexico, yams are called camotes and can be cooked in a number of ways during the holiday season. Candied yams are particularly popular on Cinco de Mayo.
Click here for a Camotes al Horno (Baked Yams) recipe.
Explore more authentic Cinco de Mayo recipes by clicking here.