Indian Dishes That Are Way Too Similar to Mexican Cuisine 23-2-21 Indian and Mexican cuisine share homogenous dishes. Read the blog to find the different yet similar dishes of these two countries. India and Mexico share a similar kind of culture which is diverse and vibrant. Even though these countries are separated by seven oceans and some thousand miles, the food seems to not have such an extreme distance in terms of taste and flavours. The culture and the Mexican cuisine are strikingly similar to the culture and cuisine of India. We can find several similarities between Indian cuisine and Mexican cuisine that will take you by surprise. Mexican and Indian food is vibrant due to its bright colours and is extremely flavourful.

1. Rice kheer - Arroz con Leche: Rice kheer is, as we all know, is a sweet delicacy made with milk, rice and sugar. Similarly, Arroz con Leche is a Mexican rice pudding that literally means ‘milk with rice.’ This dessert has a slight variation as they add cinnamon instead of saffron as we Indians do. Arroz con Leche is widely enjoyed in Argentina and Spain.

Arroz con Leche

2. Chutney - Salsa: Chutney is used as a dip for various Indian dishes like sabudana vada, samosa and more. Salsa is a variety of sauces used as condiments for tacos and used as dips for nachos or tortilla chips. The preparation of both chutney and salsa is similar as both the dishes use mortar and pestle to grind the spices and uses the same kind of spices.

Salsa

3. Gujiya - Empanada: Gujiyas are sweet dumplings made from all-purpose flour with a filling of khoya and dried fruits. Today, there are healthier versions of gujiyas in the form of baked gujiyas. Empanadas are a Mexican delicacy that looks like our desi gujiyas but taste like samosa and momos. Empanada can be baked or fried and its filling usually consists of corn, cheese, chocolate, meat or chicken. The baked empanada is quite famous, but their fried empanada are delicious too.

Empanada:

4. Makke Di Roti - Corn Tortilla: Makke di roti is made from cornmeal of maise flour and is made in a tandoor or on a tawa (griddle). It is an unleavened flatbread that is widely popular in Punjab. Corn Tortilla, too, is an unleavened flatbread made using hominy. Hominy is coarsely ground maise used to make grits. In Mexico, there are three colours of the maize dough for making tortillas- white, yellow and blue maize.

Corn tortilla:

5. Paratha - Quesadilla: Paratha is the word derived from two words parat+atta, which means layers of cooked dough. Paratha is savoured in India as wheat is a staple in the country. There are various types of parathas like aloo paratha, gobi paratha, paneer paratha and the list is endless. It has a filling of vegetables and spices to add the Indian flavour. Quesadilla is basically a tortilla filled with cheese, spices and meat. The preparation is similar to paratha and it is also cooked on a griddle just like a paratha. A tortilla is nothing but chapati made with corn flour or wheat flour.

Quesadilla:

6. Bhutta - Elote: Our monsoons are incomplete if we don’t eat the street style bhutta, which is roasted or steamed corn. Bhutta is essentially corn on the cob, which is relished by putting red chilli powder, butter and lemon juice on it. Oh! The sheer thought of buttery and sour-y taste of the bhutta is enough to make one drool. Elote is Mexican street corn, just like bhutta is Indian street corn. Elote is roasted on a grill and coated with chile powder, butter, cojita cheese, lemon juice and mayonnaise or crema fresca. The only difference between bhutta and elote is of a few ingredients like cheese and mayonnaise. Besides that, both have everything in common, from their preparation to the choice of ingredients used in making them.

Elote:

7. Peda - Jamoncillos: Peda is a sweet that originated from Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. The key ingredients to make peda are khoa, sugar and flavourings like cardamom seeds, saffron, almonds and other nuts. Jamoncillos are astoundingly similar in taste to peda. They are also available in bright colours and are essentially made from milk. The flavourings in Jamoncillos can be experimented with coffee extract or coconut oil.

Jamoncillos:

8. Singdana Chikki - Palanquetas de cacachante: Singdana chikki is a brittle made from jaggery and peanuts. It is a traditional Indian sweet recipe that is usually eaten during winters. There are various types of chikki that are made from sesame seeds or puffed rice. Palanquetas de cacachante is a Mexican brittle almost the same as singdana chikki, but what makes it a little different is piloncillo. Piloncillo is a dark unrefined whole cane sugar that gives this dish caramel-y notes.

Palanquetas de cacachante:

9. Coriander Chutney - Chimichurri:

Coriander chutney goes about with anything and everything we eat. Whether it be with simple dal chawal or paneer tikka, dhaniya chutney enhances the taste of every Indian food. 

Chimichurri is a piquant sauce made from parsley, garlic, onion, oregano and olive oil. It is widely consumed as a marinade and is a speciality of Argentina and Uruguay cuisine. 

Chimichurri:

10. Pulao - Mexican Rice:

Pulao is a one-pot rice dish made with rice and spices, which is accompanied by raita. Matar pulao, vegetable pulao, tawa pulao are all different types of pulao. 

Mexican rice, too, is a one-pot dish that can be served as a side dish or as a part of the main dish. The rice has flavours of corn, garlic, onion, tomato and jalapeno. 

When you want to try something different yet don’t want to experiment excessively, Mexican cuisine is your best bet. 

Mexican Rice: