Hotel Fidalgo, situated in the center of the capital city of Panaji is famous for its 24 hours coffee shop ‘Aunty Maria’ and of course it’s multiple food outlets. This is perhaps the only place in Goa where you will find five choices of dining options. You will find this place is always packed with the foodies. It is not that Fidalgo just provides the multi dining options but it also gives you the choice five different cousins which include the specialty Goan cuisine, Multi Cuisine, Coffee shop, Gujarati Thali and Bombay Pav Bhaji.
Fidalgo is holding a Mexican food fiesta at two of their outlets, Chili N Spice and Aunty Maria beginning from 14th May till 31st May 2016. According to the Chef Amol, who is the Executive Chef at Hotel Fidalgo, “The major attraction of this festival is the ‘Home Made Tortillas’ the tortillas made from the locally available raw material such as Maize Flour, will be served in house.
The beautiful menu crafted by Chef Amol Desai, wherein the most famous Mexican specialties would be served to the guest. There will be a fine combination of Vegetarian and Non-vegetarian delicacies such as corn Chimichangas , lime Chicken tacos, kidney bean and scallion quesadilla with fiery chilies , Crispy bell pepper Tostadas, zucchini and corn with warm tortilla, spinach enchiladas with black bean Chili salsa , Chicken n red beans Enchiladas, with a sumptuous array of dips like Guacamole, Refried Beans Salsa, Mango Salsa and lots more.
The menu will be served only on Ala-Carte format with most reasonable rates applied. According to Chef Amol, The Mexican cuisine is the world’s first fusion kitchen. “I feel that none of the world’s unique and wonderful cuisine had left an influence on the world cuisine as Mexican cuisine did. All over the world Mexican cuisine has been blended as per every chef’s liking and interest. Our culinary debt to Mexico is, of course, huge in terms of ingredients and produce alone from chilies to squash, from avocados to tomatoes, tomatillos, and chocolate, according to me the cooking would be a lot less interesting without Mexican the ingredients,” said Chef Amol.
He further narrated that “Historically Mexico was for hundreds of years a Spanish colony, as was California, which was normally governed from Mexico. The cooking thus grew out of it, the world’s first fusion kitchen. Spaniards embraced local produce, such as Turkey’s, bean, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, guavas, chilies and chocolate, while Introducing Beef, Pork, Chicken, with hindsight it is not difficult to decide who got the most out of the deal. Of all the ingredients nothing is as important as Corn. It remains in the center of Mexican food and Tortillas at its heart. The name Tortilla was the Spanish one given by the conquistadors to the corn pancakes that were the staple diet of the native Indians in Mexico, as they remain for the population as a whole to this day,” Said Executive Chef Amol Desai of Hotel Fidalgo.
What is Tortilla? If you like to know, here is your chance to get it right from the horse’s mouth.
According to Chef Amol, The Tortilla dough is basically made up of dried white field corn, which is called Posole or Pozole in Mexican. This is done before the kernels are ground as such it remains starchy and not sweet. The corns are first brought to boil with slacked lime, simmered for 15 minutes and then left to soak overnight.
It is then washed under running water while being rubbed to get rid it of the yellow hulls until only the white kernels remain. These are ground while still wet and then mixed with more water to give small soft dough.
Traditionally the Tortillas were done by pressing the dough between the palms. It looked very easy until one tried to do it but it was found utmost difficult.
Now in the modern world, we get readymade Tortillas or the equipment to make Tortillas, which make the Chef’s life very easy. There is a very famous readymade mix called Masa Harina which is available all over the world that is basically a mix out of which one can make the dough by just adding water.
As provided by the Executive Chef Amol Desai and edited by Rajesh Ghadge
