Try these original Mexican recipes in your chiminea
Mexican cuisine is famous for its hot and spicy flavors. Its people however, also love sweet and tangy tastes. Gaby Agraz, a professional tortilla and Nacho maker, who hails from Mexico City and now lives in Dainfern, Johannesburg shares seven of her favorite recipes that are perfect for  entertaining friends and family in the garden on a balmy spring afternoon.
By: Nici Solomon
Editor - Tuin Paleis magazine
Beef taquitos
Serves 6
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12 tortillas |
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xxxg beef (thinly sliced) |
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250ml sour cream |
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¼ lettuce (finely chopped) |
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50g feta cheese (crumbled) |
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½ cup oil to fry the taquitos |
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Salsa (see our two recipes below) |
 1. Warm up the tortillas in a previously heated saucepan, turning them over continuously until they become soft. Alternatively, you can place them in the microwave wrapped in a cloth inside a plastic bag for 45 seconds.
2. Before the tortillas cool down, place the beef on one side and roll each tortilla as tightly as possible and secure it with a toothpick.
3. Heat the oil up in a small saucepan and fry the taquitos until they are golden brown and crisp.
 4. To serve the taquitos, place them next to each other on a plate and then position the rest of the ingredients, starting with the cream, lettuce, cheese and finishing up with the salsa on top. If you want to have some fun, put the topping ingredients in different plates and let your family or friends decorate their own taquitos.
Chef’s tip: you can substitute the beef with chicken, boiled potatoes, ham, tuna - you name it.
| Green salsa with avocado
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5 chillies |
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2 tomatoes |
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1 tablespoon vinegar from pickled chillies |
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1 tablespoon salt |
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½ cup coriander (finely chopped) |
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½ cup onion (finely chopped) |
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1 avo (peeled, pitted and cubed) |
1. Place chillies and tomatoes in a saucepan with boiling water and boil for approximately 5 minutes. Drain.
2. Puree the rest of the ingredients in a blender, except avo and onion.
3. In a bowl, combine puree, avo and onion.
4. Correct seasoning.
Chef’s tip: you can make and refrigerate the rest of the salsa in advance and then combine it with the avo just before serving.
| Salsa de chile
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10 green chillies (any kind, some seeded if desired to reduce the hotness by half) |
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½ onion |
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1 clove garlic |
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1 sprig of coriander |
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¼ cup water |
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salt to taste |
1. Place all raw ingredients into a blender until pureed. 
2. Check seasoning.
3. Keep refrigerated.
Variation:
1. Boil all the ingredients, except the coriander, until the chillies change color.
2. Puree all the ingredients in a blender.
3. You can add a couple of tomatoes and a touch of origanum for taste.
4. Keep refrigerated.
Azteca pie
Serves 4-6
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12 tortillas |
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2 cans tomato and onion mix |
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1 can corn kernels |
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2 green peppers (sliced) |
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2 chicken breasts (shredded) |
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250ml sour cream |
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300g cheese (grated cheddar or mozzarella) |
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3 tablespoons oil |
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salt to taste |
 1. Arrange half of the tortillas flat in a baking dish; make sure that you cover the bottom completely.
2. Form layers starting with the tomato mix, then the chicken, peppers, corn kernels, cream and cheese.
3. Add a second layer of tortillas and then a second layer of the rest of the ingredients.
4. Place the dish in a pre-heated oven (180°C) until the ingredients are hot and the cheese melts.
Tostadas
Serves 4-6
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| The best thing about this recipe is that it doesn't need to be heated, cooked or warmed up! |
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12 tostada's |
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½ cup refried beans (see our recipe below) |
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½ cup shredded chicken, ground beef, chorizo, ham or whatever else takes your fancy |
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150g feta cheese (crumbled) |
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½ lettuce (finely shredded) |
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250ml sour cream |
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½ onion (finely chopped) |
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2 avo's (sliced) |
1. Spread the refried beans evenly over each tostada.
2. Now layer the chicken or meat, followed by the lettuce, onion, avo, sour cream and cheese. Just to give them the final touch, top the tostada's with a bit of salsa.
Refried beans
Serves 6
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2 cups dried black, pinto or sugar beans |
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10 cups water |
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⅓ onion |
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3 tablespoons oil |
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4 garlic cloves |
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2 tsp salt |
Cooking
1. Clean the beans. Rinse them, cover with water and let soak for a while (the longer the better). Discard any beans that float. Drain.
2. Place the beans in a pressure cooker. Then add the water, onion, garlic and oil.
3. Cook for about 45 minutes (depending on your pressure cooker) or until tender.
4. When the beans are tender, add the salt and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
5. Correct seasoning. At this point you can enjoy a delicious bean soup. All you need to do is garnish it with onion, coriander and fresh chillies, all finely chopped. You can serve it with tostada's, spread with sour cream.
Tip: if you don’t have a pressure cooker, use a large pot and cook covered for 1 ½- 2 hours or until the beans are tender. Make sure that there is always enough water to cover the beans; add more water if needed, just make sure that it is hot.
Frying
Don’t think that refried means to fry twice, it simply means ‘well fried’ until all the liquid is gone.
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⅓ cup of oil |
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½ onion (finely chopped) |
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4 cups cooked beans |
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feta cheese (crumbled) |
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nachos |
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the onion and sauté, stirring frequently for 5 minutes or until golden and soft.
2. Add half of the beans with their liquid and smash in the skillet with a potato masher.
3. Gradually add the remaining beans and liquid and continue smashing to make a coarse puree.
4. Stir and cook over medium-high until the puree begins to dry out.
5. Transfer to a warm plate, sprinkle with cheese and garnish with nachos.
1. In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatine over 125ml of the water and let stand for 5 minutes or until it’s absorbed.
2. Meanwhile, place the remaining water, sugar and instant coffee in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. When the mixture begins to boil, remove from the heat. Add the gelatine and stir until it dissolves. Add the coffee liqueur and stir to combine.
3. Pour the mixture into lightly greased individual moulds or into a lightly greased 1-litre mould.
4. Let the mixture cool slightly, before refrigerating it for 3 hours or until the gelatine is firm.
4. Unmould the gelatine and garnish each serving with a dollop of whipped cream, a maraschino cherry and a mint leaf. Alternatively, you can use chocolate shavings or a few coffee beans.
1. Mix the gelatine, 125g of the sugar and the salt in a glass or enamel saucepan.
2. Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl, until they are thick and creamy. Add the lime juice and water and continue beating.
3. Pour the mixture over the gelatine and place the saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring the mixture constantly until the gelatine dissolves.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the tequila, Triple Sec and the grated rinds. Let the mixture cool, before you refrigerate it.
4. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites, gradually incorporating the remaining sugar, until they form stiff peaks.
5. When the egg yolk mixture begins to set, fold in the beaten egg whites.
6. Place the mousse in a serving bowl or in individual dessert dishes and chill for at least 2 hours. Garnish with extra grated lime peel.
1. In a blender, whirl the ice, Tequila, Cointreau and Lime juice for 30 seconds.
2. Moisten the rim of six glasses with lime juice and invert each glass on a saucer of salt to lightly coat the rims with salt.
3. Divide the margarita mixture among the glasses and serve.
1. Mix the wine, water, grenadine and lime juice in a glass pitcher. Stir well and then add the orange slices and chopped pineapple pieces.
2. Chill well and add ice cubes, just before serving.
Gaby and Hector Agraz moved to Johannesburg from Mexico City in 1997, when Hector was offered a partnership in a manufacturing plant, which produces mayonnaise and a variety of sauces. Later that year, the couple was approached by the organizers of the Mexican Fiesta, a one week celebration of Mexican clothing, arts, crafts, toys, tequila and food to set up and man a tortilla-making machine, especially imported from Mexico.
Hector who has been part of the food industry his whole life agreed that he and Gaby would make the tortillas, which are a staple in any Mexican’s diet. The response from fiesta visitors was very positive and Gaby decided to buy the tortilla-making machine from the organizers, who said it was too expensive to send back to Mexico.
She launched her new business, Azteca Mexican Food Products and met with the owners of Banditos, who were selling salsas and relishes at flea markets. They wanted something authentic to serve the salsas and relishes with, so Gaby started making nachos for them. Today these products are available in supermarket chains across South Africa.
Gaby was also looking for other ways to expand her business and approached Mexican restaurants about becoming their supplier of nachos and wraps. Investing in a wheat flour tortilla machine three years later helped her to convince the Spur chain of restaurants that she was the right lady for the job of supplying them with fajitas, wraps and enchiladas.
“Azteca produces between 8 000 and 10 000 wheat tortillas every day, 500kg of Nachos a day and 1 000 corn tortillas every week,” says Gaby. “This has made a real difference to the Mexican community living in South Africa because the average Mexican eats three to four tortillas and nachos every day,” she adds.
TO ORDER YOUR TORTILLAS / SALSA'S CONTACT YOUR NEAREST MINI-MEX STORE.
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