Enjoy the flavour of Mexico on your palate
You probably already know about the attributes of coconut and the benefits it has for your body – soft, radiant, moisturised skin, and much more.
The rhythm and commitments of daily life often don’t leave us with time for a routine to look after our bodies or experimenting in the kitchen. Luckily, holidays are the perfect excuse to rekindle good habits and experiment with new flavours.
Can you imagine an authentic coconut oil massage with ocean waves in the background? Or how about enjoying a relaxing cocktail while watching the sun set? And what do you think about enjoying a special recipe with coconut as a couple? Could this be the best of all? You can enjoy all this without leaving Riviera Maya.
Some curious facts about coconut textures. Coconuts have at least 4 or 5 textures, which are as follows: Water, which can be very sweet, slightly acidic and, at the same time, slightly bitter or salty. Jelly, as when the flesh is young it is soft and gelatinous. If it is ripe, the flesh is firmer and gritty. When it is dried, the flesh is as crispy as a peanut. Apart from all this, sometimes you can find an “apple” that forms inside the coconut that is as soft as cotton.
Holidays are synonymous with relaxation, good times and, of course, spending time on yourself. What better way to do this than in the Caribbean? When you choose Bahía Príncipe hotels to stay on the Riviera Maya, the cradle of civilisations and home to an extraordinary natural landscape. A fascinating destination where you can explore the traces of one of the world’s ancient cultures. The hotels are surrounded by beaches and ancestral culture.
The cuisine at this destination is outstanding. Mexican cuisine is recognised as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. It is typified by the most spicy, colourful and delicious flavours. This kind of cooking is a true witness to history, a rich encounter between the cultures, traditions and customs of the entire country. At the Bahía Príncipe five star resort, with all-inclusive service, you’ll find typical Mexican restaurants where you can enjoy the country’s most authentic flavours.
Tequila restaurant at the Bahia Principe Grand Tulum hotel. This is where tradition, culture and time come together in a unique space within a framework of pure gastronomy. It is inspired by the tradition of Mexican markets, with their strong culinary culture, and their colours, smells and flavours,achieving a unique atmosphere where you can enjoy and get to know this singular cuisine at first hand.
Caribbean recipes
At this beach destination, the wide variety of fruits, vegetables, aromas of the finest essences, flavours, sensations and colours are all present in the food. Cocoa and coffee, avocado and other Mexican foods, such as corn, beans, red onions, jicama (Mexican turnip) and nopal (prickly pear pads) are also ever present.
We talk to Luis Alfonso Romero, Executive Chef at the Bahia Principe Mexico Resort. He’s going to help us prepare these Caribbean recipes in your kitchen at home. Get everything you need ready, and invite your friends, family or partner to feel the joy of the Bahía Príncipe Hotels & Resorts dishes. By way of a tip, coconut is essential in these recipes:
Coconut and Shrimp Ceviche
Ingredients:
1. 1/2 Coconut pulp 150 gr. 7. Shrimp without shrimp 200 g.
2. Small Pineapple 1 pc. 8. Fresh coriander leaves 2 gr.
3. Purple Onion 25 gr. 9. Olive oil 10 ml.
4. Red Pepper 25 gr. 10. Salt 3 g
5. Green pepper 25 gr. 11. Black pepper 0.5 gr
6. Lemon 1 pc.
First we cut the shrimp (previously cooked in salted water) into 1 cm wide strips, marinate with the lemon juice, 2 grams of salt and the oil.
Remove the pulp from the pineapple, taking care not to pierce it as it will be our dish, keep the pulp for a little juice, the half coconut and, like the rest of the vegetables, cut everything into julienne strips and add the rest of the salt.
Incorporate the fish and all its juice and mix perfectly, trying to incorporate the flavours, in this final step we add the coriander, leaving the vegetables and the coconut on top, we mount everything on the half coconut and that’s it.
In Mexico, this dish is enjoyed with a cold beer and a bit of hot sauce like buffalo or valentina.
Coconut Granita
Ingredients:
1. 1/2″ whole peeled coconut 6. Grain salt 1 g.
2. Ice 500 gr. 7. Tapioca 150 g.
3. Sugar 300 gr. 8. Water 400 + 200 ml.
4. Condensed milk 100 gr. 9. Olive oil 10 ml.
5. Cinnamon 1 g.
We make a few slices of coconut by passing a peeler to the edge of the coconut half and toast it in the oven for 30 minutes at 150 degrees, this is useful at the end.
We are going to make coconut milk; in the blender we put the coconut pulp, 200 grams of sugar and 400 ml of water and blend until the pulp is completely broken down.
For the tapioca we boil 200 ml of water, 100 gr of sugar, 1 gr of cinnamon, once the tapioca is cooked while it is hot we add 200 ml of filtered coconut milk, incorporate and cool.
For the granita, blend 300 ml of coconut milk with the pulp and the condensed milk with the ice to form a granita, put in the freezer if necessary.
Froth the rest of the coconut milk and serve the tapioca underneath, the granita on top and the froth on top, decorate with toasted coconut slices.
We hope these recipes stimulate your senses and are a source of inspiration for creating and trying new flavours in your kitchen. We hope to captivate you by exploring the best flavours Mexico has to offer. Come and visit us to discover the world of culinary creations. Enjoy delicious meals in the middle of a tropical paradise. At Bahia Principe Mexico Resort you will find food at the buffets and menus that are typical of Mexican food, such as mole sauce with rice, tortillas, enchiladas, tacos, guacamoles, pico de gallo, etc., and a long list of Mexican foodstuffs.
