Blog #33: Building on Traditions

 

I recently had the pleasure of trying a traditional Mexican dish in a new and innovative way. I was both surprised and delighted by the combination of flavors and it was yet another reminder not to get stuck in a rut with food. The best part about it is, it actually added nutrition to the dish and it got me thinking about how I sometimes do this too (and how I want to keep trying in other ways). Allow me to share with you this culinary experience.

Most of you are probably familiar with the tamale, a Mexican dish made of masa (corn dough) that is wrapped around a filling and steamed in a corn husk. Having grown up in California, I was exposed to some of the best and freshest tamales around, often being sold by family friends or food trucks. I also remember getting them on the way to work in Jackson Heights (Queens, NY) from a lovely lady, selling them on the street, at the corner of my subway stop. They would be piping hot and I would eat them, while walking, on my way to teach English as a Second Language at a private school. Nowadays, I just buy the frozen green chili and cheese tamales from Trader Joes but I always look forward to a moment where I can find them, homemade and fresh. 

The dish that I had was the tamale supreme, with a filling of chicken in tomatillo sauce, topped with black beans, raw spinach, cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and a home made radish relish. Wait a minute! Hold the phone! Why did I never think to add all of these amazing toppings to a tamale?!? An enchilada? Yes. A quesadilla? Sure. But a tamale? Never. I have no idea why because it was absolutely delicious! The truly unique part to me was the spinach and the radish relish. These are two things I rarely ever see in Mexican cuisine and they were such a welcome addition! Well, come to think of it, the taco trucks in LA would often give you a little bag of radish and lime to add to your tacos which I always loved, but a relish like this, I’ve never had. And, think about the added health benefits to your meal, simply by adding these 2 things! I love dark, leafy greens and it just got me thinking. There are so many things that you can add them to, to kick your meal up a notch! For example, why not stir in a cup of spinach to your chili or a cup of kale to your mac-n-cheese? Also, by adding all of these mouth watering toppings, one tamale was more than enough to satisfy your lunch or dinner needs. 

I hope that this has you salivating and thinking about what you can throw some spinach on to elevate your next meal! If you come up with something fun, please share and let us know so we can try too!