In Mexican cuisine nothing is wasted. All parts of the animal serve a purpose, as do all parts of fruits and vegetables. Even leafy vegetation, trees, roots and insects are regularly used in Mexican cuisine. This ingenuity is iconic of Mesoamerican food and has been passed down through generations and cultural shifts for thousands of years. Here we will take a brief look at a very traditional dish, of which variations can be found in countless nations all over the world.
Tripas in Mexican cuisine are the cooked intestines of farm animals. After being cleaned, the tripas are boiled in a specially designed contraption called a disco (pronounces "dee-sko"). Basically it consists of two wok-like bowls on top of one another and mounted on a pole. The lower bowl holds the heat source, such as charcoal or wood. The upper bowl is filled with the tripas and water. As the charcoal or wood burns off, the water boils the tripas until they are tender and velvety. Tripas are typically served as a filling for tacos, tortilla or burritos. Common condiments for tripas include cilantro, onion, chile sauce, pico de gallo and of course guacamole.
There are three ways to order tripas, soft, medium crispy or extra crispy. Soft is tripas are served immediately after the boiling process is completed. Medium crispy is achieved by allowing the tripas to cook in their own fat after the water has boiled off. The outside of the tripas is crispy, but the inside is still soft and velvety. Extra crispy is accomplished by adding additional fat to the upper bowl of the disco and allowing the tripas to cook until they are crispy all the way through. A similar dish is produced using the internal system of a cow's udder that has been marinated and grilled.
In truth, there are many traditional Mexican dishes that include the internal organs of animals. Cochinita pibil is a slow-roasted suckling pig, with all the internal organs intact. The carcass is marinated in citrus juices, peppered with annatto seed and wrapped in banana leaves during the roasting process. Of course there is also moronga, a sausage made out of pig's blood. Spices, herbs and chile peppers are boiled in the pig's intestines for several hours, then sausages are twisted, portioned off and grilled.
When you find yourself in Mexico seeking an 'authentic' experience, find yourself a little restaurant willing to serve you one of the above traditional dishes. They may be trepidatious, they may even refuse. Nevertheless, if you are truly committed to consuming true Mexican cuisine that is eaten by the local farming families, then press on!
Tripas in Mexican cuisine are the cooked intestines of farm animals. After being cleaned, the tripas are boiled in a specially designed contraption called a disco (pronounces "dee-sko"). Basically it consists of two wok-like bowls on top of one another and mounted on a pole. The lower bowl holds the heat source, such as charcoal or wood. The upper bowl is filled with the tripas and water. As the charcoal or wood burns off, the water boils the tripas until they are tender and velvety. Tripas are typically served as a filling for tacos, tortilla or burritos. Common condiments for tripas include cilantro, onion, chile sauce, pico de gallo and of course guacamole.
There are three ways to order tripas, soft, medium crispy or extra crispy. Soft is tripas are served immediately after the boiling process is completed. Medium crispy is achieved by allowing the tripas to cook in their own fat after the water has boiled off. The outside of the tripas is crispy, but the inside is still soft and velvety. Extra crispy is accomplished by adding additional fat to the upper bowl of the disco and allowing the tripas to cook until they are crispy all the way through. A similar dish is produced using the internal system of a cow's udder that has been marinated and grilled.
In truth, there are many traditional Mexican dishes that include the internal organs of animals. Cochinita pibil is a slow-roasted suckling pig, with all the internal organs intact. The carcass is marinated in citrus juices, peppered with annatto seed and wrapped in banana leaves during the roasting process. Of course there is also moronga, a sausage made out of pig's blood. Spices, herbs and chile peppers are boiled in the pig's intestines for several hours, then sausages are twisted, portioned off and grilled.
When you find yourself in Mexico seeking an 'authentic' experience, find yourself a little restaurant willing to serve you one of the above traditional dishes. They may be trepidatious, they may even refuse. Nevertheless, if you are truly committed to consuming true Mexican cuisine that is eaten by the local farming families, then press on!
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