Pozole is a traditional Mexican corn-based dish and other ingredients, known as “Pozoli” in Nahuatl, which means boiled or foamy. Though its base is corn and it is normally prepared with shredded pork or chicken meat, there are many variations throughout the country.
It was born in México during the colonial period and it is a September tradition to eat this wonderful soup, since it was the corn harvesting season.
It is said that many centuries ago, this dish was prepared by the mexicas with human flesh. The story tells they captured and sacrifice people in their festivities to honor their god Xipe Totec. This ritual was carried out in the feast of Tlacaxipehuaztli, where they placed the prisoners on a large stone and then confronted them with armed warriors. It was after the Conquest; the Spaniards replaced the human meat in pozole with pork.
As previously mentioned, pozole has different type of preparations depending on its state, but we promise they are all as tasty and delicious as the other. There are at least 20 pozole variants, being pozole blanco (white pozole) the most famous in México’s centro. It is prepared with pork meat (mainly with head) and cacahuazintle corn broth. It is served with lettuce, chopped radishes and/or onion, oregano, ground piquin chili and a few drops of lemon juice.
Nowadays and depending on the taste of the people, there are variants with chicken, and even vegan, but the original and classic must have pork meat.
One of the most famous pozoles is the Jalisco style, also popular in El Bajío and Aguscalientes, which is red. It is prepared with ground dried chiles (in Aguascalientes they use mirasol chile and in Sinaloa there is a variant of this dish that is prepared with guajillo chile).
Another of the best known pozoles is the Guerrero style. Whether they are white or green pipian, these pozoles are served with chopped onion, ground piquin chili and a few drops of lemon juice. Unlike the pozoles from the Altiplano, no radish or lettuce is added. Instead – and here is the big difference – they are also garnished with a raw egg, chicharrón, avocado and canned sardines, in oil. Like most pozoles, it is served with tostadas.
Also from Guerrero is another pozole with corn, black beans and epazote.
There are even more kinds of pozole all over México, each with a very special and unique taste!
References:
Soto, P. (2021, abril 6). Pozole, plato tradicional mexicano. Oasishoteles.com; Patu Soto. https://oasishoteles.com/blog/pozole-plato-tradicional-mexicano/
El pozole, una de las obras maestras de la cocina Nacional. www.gob.mx.
Recuperado el 30 de septiembre de 2022, de https://www.gob.mx/aserca/articulos/el-pozole-una-de-las-obras-maestras-de-la-cocina-nacional
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