need to do mexico food promotion!

[FanGJiN]

hihi,i need you guys's help again,now i am doing 1 project,it is about introduce food,i need to do a 5~8 course meal,all about mexican's food,hope u all can share me some nice recipe.My budget is USD5 per person can more than that also.

[docsconz]

Where are you located and what kind of access do you have to quality Mexican ingredients?

[Jaymes]

Yes, and what will $5 US buy wherever you are? How many are you cooking for? And do you want "typical" Mexican stuff to introduce to people that have never had any of it, or are you trying for unusual dishes to introduce people to something besides rice, beans and enchiladas?

[Jaymes]

After a little investigation, I see you are in Asia. And this sounds like it may be a school assignment. So you'll want to do something very basic, I'd guess. Salsas, rice, beans, chicken enchiladas, flan for dessert. I have a really good and simple squash recipe that you should be able to pull off there.

I think your biggest problem is going to be the tortillas. How much time do you have before this project is due?

If you are in either KL or Singapore, each has a Mexican embassy. I'd call them and ask what they are doing for tortillas. I'm positive that the Mexicans that staff those embassies are getting them somehow. Perhaps their relatives are sending masa. But at any rate, they'll have some ideas as to how to source ingredients, which substitutes work for Mexican cheeses and chiles, etc.

Edited July 3, 2006 by Jaymes (log)

[FanGJiN]

USD5+- per person ingredient cost,i m serving in 100pax tht mean i got USD500 for cost,reason i choosing mexican food because i want to do some special food to the guest.

i stay in malaysia.

Typical or latest trend one also never mind,as long is delicious mexican food,cos i also haven't tried mexican food before.

we need to do Halal food.because we are islamic country,the food that we cook cannot cook with wine,vinegar,pork(especially).

i need to pass up my idea before this thursday,i have no idea about mexican food.i suggested do mexican food,so i m incharge on finding the food recipe.

thank you very much.

[Jaymes]

Will you have help? If you can figure out a way to get (or make) vegetarian tortillas, 300 of them (for 3 enchiladas each) or even 200 is a lot to make.

How about the meat/dairy thing? Also forbidden?

I'm thinking for that many people completely unfamiliar with Mexican food, I'd probably suggest the basics: various salsas, rice, beans, and carne guisada (or green chile stew). It's traditionally done with pork, but you can do it with beef and I think it's just as good. Since you stew it, cheap cuts of beef work fine. Chicken enchiladas with red sauce was the first thing that came to mind, but for 100 people, that's a lot of work. Although if you fold the enchiladas rather than roll them, you could do it. But enchiladas do improve with the addition of a little cheese, and if you can't do the dairy/meat thing, the carne guisada would probably work better.

Quite a project you've undertaken. I believe there is a Mexican embassy in KL, and although I've said it upthread, I'd still suggest you talk to them about sourcing ingredients and the overall feasibility. I really think they'll have some good suggestions. I suspect they do Mexican dinners for large crowds from time to time and they'll also be familiar with the dietary restrictions for Malaysia. And embassies can be invaluable as well when it comes to setting the mood for your dinner.

I once gave a large Korean dinner while I was living in Panama. It was for a couple that were friends or ours (and my husband's work colleagues) that were moving to Korea, and there were about 60 people in attendance. I contacted the Korean embassy in Panama City and they were of enormous help to me. Not only did they help with the menu, ingredients, etc., they lent me decorations, music, small flags for the tables and that sort of thing. And they were excited and pleased to do it as good PR for their country.

They helped me turn what I hoped would be merely a delicious and interesting farewell dinner into quite the special and memorable occasion. Folks were still talking about it years afterwards.

Edited July 4, 2006 by Jaymes (log)

[gfron1]

This should be fun - I hope you can take pictures for us. I'm not sure if you can get avocados, but guacamole is easy and one of the best foods on the planet

A mole would be fun as well. If you can use eggs, flan would be good.

[Jaymes]

Yes, I'm sure she can get avocados. I used to live in SE Asia, and the avocados are wonderful and plentiful, so guacamole should be a given.

Although I agree with you that chicken mole would be perfect in many ways, that is a LOT of work, and requires so many varied chiles that I'm not sure it's the place for a neophyte to start, especially for so large a dinner. I know a lot of pretty good cooks that won't tackle it. But obviously, that'd be up to her if she wanted to give it a go.

One problem with flan might be that if they can't do the dairy/meat thing, having milk so soon after dinner would be a conflict.

But if the eggs/dairy/meat thing is no problem, I think you're right that flan would be ideal.

Edited July 4, 2006 by Jaymes (log)

[chefzadi]

Dairy/meat thing is not forbidden in a halal diet. Neither is vinegar, unless there is some sort of hadith that Malaysian Muslims follow that I am not aware. Vinegar is a very common cooking ingredient in North Africa and the Levant.

Since you are in Malaysia find a roti maker to sub for wheat tortillas.

FanGJiN email me if you have other questions. I worked in Asia and cooked different "national dishes" for diplomats and cultural events.

I have an idea of what you can get in Malaysia.