Rajas con crema

Rajas con crema is a Mexican dish that comes from the central and southern regions of Mexico.  The main ingredient is the poblano pepper, a mild to medium-hot variety of peppers that are said to hail from the state of Puebla, located in southeast Mexico.  Puebla is known for its many tasty dishes like mole poblano, pambazos, cemitas, molotes, tacos arabes, chiles rellenos and, of course, rajas con crema.  I first tried rajas con crema in high school, at my best friend’s house.  I often joke about the real reason I’ve stayed friends with her is because of her momma’s cooking.  My best friend and I have been friends since 2nd grade.  Her family is from Puebla, a place that is rich in culture and history.  My favorite part of Puebla, other than the food, is Popocatepetl & Iztaccihualt or “La mujer dormida,” the sleeping woman.  Popocatepetl, or El Popo, is an active volcano in Puebla that sits right next to Iztaccihualt, a dormant volcano that has permanent snow covered peaks.  I first heard of Popo and Iztaccihualt when I was a kid, while visiting my paternal great-grandparent in Mexico City.  My great-grandmother, a devote Catholic, who was originally from Jalisco, had moved to the big city to live with her oldest son, my great uncle, was the first to share the epic love story.  According to Aztec legend, Popocatepetl and Iztaccihualt were madly in love.  Popo was a strong and skilled warrior, known for his prowess in battle and Iztaccihualt was a beautiful princess.  Popo decided to ask the king for Iztaccihualt hand in marriage before he was set to go off to fight in a war with a rival tribe.  The king agreed, with the condition that Popo return victorious from the war.  Popo took off to war with a promise to return victorious, but, as time passed, and Popo did not return, another warrior, jealous of Popo and Iztaccihualt love, lied to the princess and told her Popo, her love, had died in battle.  Iztaccihualt sick with grief and sadness, died from the unbearable loss.  Soon after, Popo returned from war, victorious, only to discover that his love, Iztaccihualt, had died.  It is said that he carried her up the mountain and laid her down to rest on a green field, as if she was sleeping, and that he sits next to her, eternally in wake, with a torch to watch over her.  It is said that the gods, amazed at the power of their love for each other, covered their bodies in snow and eventually turned them into volcanoes.  Popo, to this day, is constantly active and erupting, as he watches over his love, la mujer dormida, the sleeping woman.  The story changes and depending on where in are in Mexico, and who retells it, but the love is always the same; powerful (mexicoenimagenes. web).  The fact that my great-grandmother told me this story first, even when she was of the Catholic faith, says a lot about her connection to the story, like most Mexican, makes the story so special.  And after visiting the area many times, once with my best friend, connects me to the place on a deeper level.  My best friend being from Puebla only makes it that that much sweeter.

Image by Alfonso Olvera
https://www.inside-mexico.com/la-leyenda-de-popocatepetl-e-iztaccihuatl/

 

The state of Puebla is the halfway point between the port city of Veracruz and Mexico’s capital, Mexico City, and because of its central location, it has had a very active history.  Puebla is also known for La Batalla de Puebla, better known as Cinco de Mayo in the US, and for Cholula, no, not the sauce, but the city it was named after.  Cholula was an important Mesoamerican political center and considered the oldest continually inhabited city in America.  The city has been fought over, and populated, by many indigenous peoples, like the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec, to name a few.  Many of the indigenous peoples left their mark on the city, through many artifacts and impressive structures, such as the Great Pyramid of Cholula; one of the world largest pyramids (History. Web).  When the Spanish conquistadores arrived on the shores of the Mexico’s Gulf Coast, they too encountered the rich city of Cholula on their way to plunder Mexico’s many riches.  As the Spanish conquered Mexico, the Catholic Church built many churches throughout Mexico, mainly on top of many of the indigenous peoples sacred sites and structures.  For this reason, Cholula is also known for the many churches, at least 150, built by the Catholic Church, in an effort to eradicate the belief system of the native peoples.  Thus began the mestizaje, the mixing of people and cultures.  A strategy used by the Spaniards to conquer and control the indigenous peoples.

Image by William Wood – Flickr

Many of the ingredients and cooking techniques used in Mexican dishes can be traced back to Mesoamerica and chile poblano is one of them.  Chiles are a fundamental ingredient in many cuisines around the world, but according to researchers at UC Davis, chiles were first domesticated in Mexico (NPR. Web).  Chile was first cultivated from south Puebla to Oaxaca, from there, trade among the indigenous people help spread the plant all across the Mexico, the Caribbean, Central & South America (BBC. web).  One of the main triggers that started the European race westward was spice and silk trade with the Far East.  When the Ottoman Empire gain power and control of the Indian Ocean in the 15th & 16th century, they blocked the Asian trading routes east for the Europeans (Britannica. web).  European’s love for spices, particularly pepper, or peppercorns, a spice that originated in Southeast India, pushed European explorers to find new trading routes with the Far East.  Christopher Columbus acquired chiles in the New World and took them back to Europe.  It took a few years for chiles to make a hit is Europe, but one it did, the chile, ironically, spread east into Asia, changing cuisine in many countries.

Chile Rellenos is one of my favorite Mexican dishes, but, in my opinion, it is also one of the worst dishes to make.  So when I discovered Rajas con crema, they pretty much replaced chiles rellenos for me at home.  I’m not a fan of friend egg and I really don’t like the fried egg layer on the chile relleno.  Rajas con crema is a great substitute and the dish is way easier to make too.  The dish reminds me of when I was young.  It also reminds me of my roots and the many, many trips to Mexico I’ve made.  Although, I was born in the US, I’ve had the great pleasure of visiting many regions in Mexico, though land, air and sea, more than I’ve seen of my home country.  I want to my children to be proud of their Mexican Heritage.  I try to pass that on through the language, travel, food and generations of story-telling, that I hope one day they, too, will pass on to their children.

Recipe Rajas con crema:

 

List of ingredients:

8 chile poblanos Roasted and sliced in “rajas,” long slices.

½ a small to med onion, chopped

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 chile jalapeno, or serrano (for hotter flavor, add more serrano chiles)

½ a cup coarsely chopped cilantro

1 med size garlic cloves, minced

1 cup Mexican Sour cream

1 ½ cups of cheese, I use Oaxaca cheese & Monterrey Jack cheese, but you can substitute with your preferred blend of cheese

1 cup of crumbled Queso fresco,

Salt

1/8 tsp Pepper

1/8 tsp cumin

1 tbls of tomato bouillion (also known as consome Knorr)

 

 

 

 

 

Roasting chiles:

 

Image by Ryan Tow – Flickr

  • Roasting chiles is a technique used to char the tough outside peel of the poblano chiles. Roasting also gives the chiles a smoky taste.  There are a few ways to use the technique, but the most common, and traditional, way involves an open flame.  If an open flame is not an option, please see alternative roasting methods, for other ways to roast poblano chiles.
  • First, wash and dry the poblano chiles thoroughly.
  • Then, place the poblano chiles over the open flame, 2-3 at a time.
  • Use tongs to turn the poblano chiles continuously, and cautiously, to get the flame to char the peel evenly. Do not leave unattended, as the poblano chiles can burn easily.
  • Once, the chiles are evenly charred, place the roasted chile in a bag to “sweat” off the heat. Then, once the chiles have cooled enough to handle, remove from bag and peel the charred layer off with your hands and set aside.
  • Another way to remove the charred peel, is by running water over the chiles, however, this will removed some of the smoky flavor.
  • Once all the poblano chiles have been roasted and peeled, remove the seeds, veins and stem using gloves.
  • Cut the roasted chiles vertically in ¼ inch slices, or rajas, and set aside.

Sauce:

  • In a lightly oiled sauce pan sauté the minced garlic and chopped onion on med heat.
  • Then stir in the diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeno chile, chopped cilantro, salt, pepper, cumin and tomato bullion and bring to a simmer.
  • Once the sauce begins to simmer, reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 8-10 minutes (Side note: this is a good base for a veggie broth, just add more tomato or chicken bouillion, salt and water).
  • Then add the poblano chile rajas (slices), and stir to incorporate with the tomato sauce.
  • Let it simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes.
  • Then, stir in the sour cream and cheese till the sour cream and cheese are incorporated with the rajas and the tomato sauce.
  • Bring to a simmer for 2-4 minutes. Then remove from heat.

The dish goes great with Mexican Rice, recipe provided below.

Image by Kare_ralsu – Flickr

 

Alternative roasting methods: 

Electric Stove

The poblano chiles can be roasted on a hot ungreased skillet, or comal.

  • Let the skillet heat up for a few minutes, on med heat.
  • Then, place the poblano chiles on the skillet.
  • Turn the chiles around to get the poblano chiles roasted evenly.
  • Once roasted, place in a bag to “sweat” off the heat.
  • Once the chiles cool, remove from bag and peel
  • Set aside and continue with recipe

 

Broiler

  • Place poblano chiles on an ungreased baking sheet
  • Place backing sheet in broiler and broil the chiles for 1-2 minutes on each side.
  • Then, remove the baking sheet from broiler
  • Then, place chiles in a bag to “sweat” off the heat
  • Once the chiles cool, remove from bag and peel
  • set aside and continue with the recipe

 

 

Recipe Mexican Red Rice – Arroz Rojo:

 

Ingredients:

1 cup of Jasmine rice

2 Roma tomatoes, cut in quarter pieces

1 garlic clove

¼ of a med onion

Salt

½ Tbls of tomato bouillon

1 Tbls of chicken bouillon

¼ cup corn or canola oil

2 ¼ cup water

 

  • On a heated sauce pan, add oil and sauté rice on med heat till golden.
  • While the rice sautés, put the tomatoes pieces, onion, garlic, salt and both bouillons in a blender cup, add ¼ cup of water and blender the mixture, till liquid.
  • Pour the mixture to the sautéed golden rice
  • The, stir in the 2 cups of water and reduce heat to low.
  • Cover the sauce pan and let the rice cook till the water evaporates and the rice cooks fully.

 

Image by Jobayer Rahman – Flickr

 

References

BBC Mundo, @bbc_ciencia. (2014) ¿Dónde nació realmente el chile casero?  Retrieved on 03/08/2018 http://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2014/04/140422_ciencia_origen_chile_mexico_np

 

History.com Staff. (2009) Puebla. Retrieved on 03/18/2018

https://www.history.com/topics/mexico/puebla

 

mexicoenimagenes.mx. (2017) Leyenda de la Mujer dormida. Retrieved on 03/09/2018

http://mexicoenimagenes.mx/leyenda-de-la-mujer-dormida

 

NPR News. (2014) Chili Say What? Linguistics Help Pinpoint Pepper’s Origins. Retrieved on 03/09/2018 https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/04/17/304139132/chili-say-what-linguistics-help-pinpoint-peppers-origins

 

Yapp, Edward Malcolm and Shaw, Stanford Jay. (2017). Ottoman Empire. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved on 03/09/2018

https://www.britannica.com/place/Ottoman-Empire

 

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