Gorditas

A ''gordita'' (; ) in Mexican cuisine is a dish made with ''masa'' and stuffed with cheese, meat, or other fillings. It is similar to the Colombian and Venezuelan ''arepa''. There are two main variations of this dish, one of which is typically fried in a deep wok-shaped comal, consumed mostly in central and southern Mexico, and another one baked on a regular comal. The most common and representative variation of this dish is the ''"gordita de chicharrón"'', filled with '' chicharron'' (a spiced stew of pork rind) which is widely consumed throughout Mexico. ''Gorditas'' are often eaten as a lunch dish and accompanied by several types of sauce.

Variations

A ''gordita'' is typically prepared as a thick tortilla. The dough is most commonly made of nixtamalized corn flour, as also used for tortillas, but can also be of wheat flour, particularly in northern Mexico close to the United States border. An old variant of corn ''gorditas'' uses ''masa quebrada'' (broken dough) where the cornmeal is coarsely ground, leaving bits of broken grain.

In the deep-fried version, once the ''masa'' has been prepared, it is divided into small portions, each filled with meat, and shaped like an oblong disc. The pastry is immersed in boiling oil until golden and crispy on the outside. After cooking, the ''gordita'' is allowed to stand to drain excess oil, and then a small slit is cut into one side to allow vapor and excessive heat to escape before lime juice and salsa are poured inside, which gives the ''gordita'' its characteristic flavor. In some regions of Mexico, the slit is also used to stuff in additional ingredients, mostly dressings such as fresh cheese, '' nopal'' salad, tomatoes, guacamole, potatoes, beans or ''rajas'' ( sautéed strips of chile). By tradition, ''gorditas'' are filled with '' chicharron'', but there are local variations which substitute it with chicken stew, shredded beef, '' carne al pastor'', eggs with ''chorizo'' sausage, ''carnitas'' or '' picadillo''.

The baked version is prepared almost identically to the preparation of a common tortilla, except it is thicker. When the ''masa'' is prepared, ''chicharrón'' is mixed directly in the dough, instead of being added later. The dough is shaped like a flat circle, then placed in a comal until cooked, in most cases without adding additional oil. When slit and filled, this ''gordita'' looks like a sandwich made with tortillas instead of bread. This variation is known as ''gordita de migas''.

Regional variations

In central Mexico, ''gorditas'' commonly range from being relatively small, but bulky (about the size of a child's fist), to about the diameter of a "regular" tortilla. In northern Mexico they tend to be larger and flatter.

In most cases ''gorditas'' are shallow-fried with vegetable oil in a deep comal, but they can also be deep-fried, making the outside crisper.

In Durango and other states of Northern Mexico, ''gorditas'' are commonly made from wheat flour and look like small pita breads. The dough (''masa'') is identical to that of a wheat flour tortilla. It is cooked on a comal with a hot piece of metal placed on top that resembles a clothes iron. The ''gordita'' fills with steam, and a small slit is cut into one side where it can be filled with '' guisados''.

Similar dishes

*The Salvadoran dish '' pupusa'' is similar to a ''gordita'', except completely sealed and typically served with '' curtido'', a lightly pickled cabbage relish.
*In Venezuela and Colombia, an ''arepa'' (a type of cornbread) is often served stuffed with various ingredients. It is prepared in a similar way as a Mexican ''gordita'', except the final dish is smaller and slimmer.
*In China the '' roujiamo'' is a similar dish that means 'meat sandwiched in bread', is a street food originating from the cuisine of Shaanxi Province and widely consumed all over China.

Other ''gorditas''

The fast food restaurant chain Taco Bell offers a wheat flour ''gordita'' that has limited similarity to ''gorditas'' as served in Mexico, and is more akin to a pita bread taco.

In eastern and central Mexico ''gorditas de nata'' (cream gorditas) are consumed often as a breakfast dish or snack. It is a sweet cake similar to a tiny but extremely thick pancake made with milk cream or clotted cream, called ''nata'' in Mexico, cinnamon, sugar, and white wheat flour. They are named ''gordita'' too, due to their appearance, similar to the original fried ''gordita'', but their taste is sweet, not salty. Other than their appearance, this snack is not related to the original one. The same flour preparation used to prepare ''gorditas de nata'' is also used to cook a flat cookie variation, which by extension it is also called ''gordita'', but in contrast, it is thin and crispy, not thick. To differentiate them, these flat cookies are called "sugar ''gorditas''" instead.

See also

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References

External links

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{{Mexican cuisine

Mexican cuisine
Spanish slang
Tortilla-based dishes
Stuffed dishes