AuthorMy name is Jasid Hernandez. I am a sophomore in high school. This is my Genius Hour project for Mr. Barker's English class. Archives
November 2022
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Week 2: Mexico and Guatemala!10/9/2022 Mexico-Mole![]() Mole is a traditional Mexican dish. The word "Mole" stems from the Nahuatl word "mōlli", meaning sauce. It is native to Mexico and is believed to have been created in modern-day Puebla. It is a very tasty dish that is very important in modern-day Mexico. It has evolved over the years. but the ingredients are still true to its Indigenous history. Since this was my very first, I was a bit nervous. I wanted it to turn out well, thankfully it did! Although it was good, this dish was very complicated. It took a very long time and consisted of many steps. Before I started cooking, my mom gave me some advice, and I watched a lot of videos and read a lot of recipes. Once I felt ready to start, I gathered all of the ingredients (there were a lot). Once everything was sorted, I began. The process of making this dish was overwhelming, to say the least. Toasting the seeds and chiles was definitely the hardest part. If you burn them, the dish is ruined, so the pressure was on. After toasting everything, I had to roast the tomatoes (the base of the sauce) and onions. Once everything was done, I had to put every single ingredient into a bowl and fill it with water. This is done so all the flavors are mixed together. After 30 minutes, I blended it all and boiled it. I added the chicken, and it was finally done. My family ate it with Mexican rice, and everyone said they enjoyed it, so overall it was a success! ![]() This was the final result! Guatemala-Pepian De Pollo![]() This dish originates from the Indigenous culture of Guatemala. This was a Mayan staple that is still very present in Guatemala today! Since I had no connection to Guatemala, I relied a lot on the internet. However, despite thinking I was clueless, I found a lot of similarities between this dish and Mexican Mole. This makes sense since Mexico and Guatemala are so close to each other. Overall, I really enjoyed making this dish. In order to prepare for this dish, I watched a lot of recipes on YouTube and read a lot on the internet. Once one was picked out, I gathered all the ingredients, which I just happened to have at home. It was surprisingly easy and fast to cook this, and it tasted very good. It was very exciting to try this new food, and I think I would make this again. I started by toasting pumpkin and sesame seeds, tortillas, onions, tomatoes, and chiles. Once everything was toasted, I blended it all and added some chicken I had previously boiled. I served it with white rice, and it was good. I really enjoyed making this and eating it. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. ![]() This was the final result. Final thoughts?This last week was a lot easier than I originally thought. The hardest part was the pacing. Once I get into a routine, I think it will be easier. I enjoyed trying the Pepian de pollo and learning how to make mole. Both dishes have interesting histories in their countries and are rooted in their indigenous civilizations. I had a lot of fun this week, and I am looking forward to the upcoming week. This was a fun challenge I set for myself, and I am happy that I am already learning more about foods I had previously overlooked. Recipes I Used.
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elliot
11/2/2022 10:24:58 am
This is such a good idea! The dishes look delicious!
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