Menudo, the Miracle Cure
Ethnic Soups |
| Atlanta's ethnic community is recovering from New Year's party
excesses with soup: gelatinous tripe and hominy menudo for Mexican Americans; ramen or
udon for Japanese Americans; phó for Vietnamese Americans; and hot pepper san shan for
Korean Americans. (1/1/99 John Kessler, Atlanta Journal & Constitution) |
Every culture has its chicken soup, some simple restorative meal that seems to be the
final answer to every home remedy question. In fact, most often, this food is a soup.
Cabbage soup, potage St. Germain, white bean soup: in Mexico menudo is the cure for what
ails you. Scientists have examined the restorative properties of these healing soups and
have agreed that any soup is good at replacing fluids and many contain hearty nutrition
that the body needs.
Menudo, or tripe soup, is made with tripe, hominy and chili, along with a host of
traditional Mexican spices. The amounts of each ingredient, whether or not to drain the
hominy, or how much fat to trim invariably depends upon superstitious tradition as much as
personal tastes. The most popular time to have menudo is after a night out, in the early
morning, when its fiery taste is said to prevent hangovers. However, it is also used to
stimulate the appetite, calm the stomach, and supply the body with vitamins A and C,
important in bolstering the immune system. This soup has not found its way onto the menus
of many Mexican-derived Tex-Mex, Ameri-Mex, or Southwestern restaurants, but is always
served on New Year's morning, as well as other holidays.
One of the characteristics of menudo is its rich, red broth, gleaming with fat. The
recipe is flexible enough to allow for the substitution of pork tripe for the beef or
leaner alternatives to personal taste.Menudo is a simple soup, but there are plenty of
ways to enhance your own version: a variety or meats are possible, beef, pork, even turkey
and veal. The addition of a chile poblano, peppercorns, or old family recipe hot sauce can
make this legendary menudo part of your tradition.
What is your favorite Menudo miracle cure? Tell us in the Mexican Food Forum!
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