Recipes: Authentic Mexican Salsa

Salsa – nothing brings Mexican food to mind better than this word. In reality salsa is not even a dish. It is a sauce, most people equate it with the tomato based mix that is used as a dip for several appetizers. It can be spicy or not, depending on whether the recipe used chili. The salsa shows how colorful and flavorful Mexican cuisine is. It is usually red and thick, with chunks of tomatoes in it. It is aromatic and delicious. You can use the salsa for dipping nachos, chips, fried tortillas and even vegetable sticks. The salsa has the ability to turn a simple fried meat or fish into a Mexican masterpiece.

There are several types of salsa according to the ingredients used. Salsa roja is the common salsa made with red tomatoes. Salsa verde is green in color and uses tomatillos. Salsa ranchera has a thick quality, almost like a soup and tastes a lot like black pepper even if it isn't used in making the salsa. Here are some recipes you can use in making your own version of this Mexican sauce.

To make salsa roja, you can char some tomatoes or roast it and then take off the blistered skin. Cut the flesh in quarters and take out the seeds. Place it in a food processor and add some cilantro, jalapeños, garlic and green onions. Chop it to coarse pieces and then add some green chilies, lime juice and olive oil. Chop again until the consistency is like that of a relish. Add some salt and pepper to season it and store it in a cool place.

You can also use beans in making salsa to come up with a modern twist on a traditional dish. You only need to combine black beans with corn, green bell pepper, tomatoes, black eyed peas, onions and jalapeño peppers in a bowl. Stir in some salad dressing and mix it well. Sprinkle some garlic salt on it and refrigerate it. Serve this salsa with tortilla chips to make it an authentic Mexican snack.