Some of the things you'll need can be found at markets catering to Asian cooks. You might also look at markets that cater to shoppers from the Caribbean.
For example: cilantro, fresh hot green chile peppers, and small dried red hot peppers can all be found in Asian markets. With those and some canned tomatoes and fresh garlic, you're in business to make very good salsa, and also have the ingredients you need for arroz a la mexicana (Mexican rice), and plenty of other dishes.
Cumin is used often in cooking, so pick some up at the South Asian grocery store.
If you're looking for "sour oranges" you can find them at Caribbean markets (they're Seville oranges). Or just use regular oranges.
Ordinary limes can be used in place of those teeny Mexican limes - there's very little difference.
White onions are used in Mexican cooking -- Occasionally red onions are used -- Don't use yellow onions unless you cannot find white onions, scallions or red onions.
I doubt you'll have an easy time locating a good source of corn tortillas. You'll just have to learn to make flour tortillas at home. Find a good recipe for flour tortillas. With practice this will get very easy.
If you can't find proper tortilla chips to dip in salsa or eat with ceviche, I guess you could use pappadums -- they're similarly crispy.
With the above, you can cook a variety of dishes. You'll just have to cook your own beans if you want beans, unless for example you can find those canned Goya black beans that are pretty good, at a store catering to Caribbean shoppers.
Like I said, you can cook a number of good Mexican dishes with just the above. However, there are some frequently used items that you may have a hard time finding, and may need to order online.
Those that spring to mind are:
* Ancho chiles (These are a large, wrinkly dried chile with a mild heat) and other large chiles such as guajillo, pasilla or chile New Mexico;
* Tomatillos -- the canned ones are fine, just rinse them off
* Canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
If you insist on making corn tortillas, I'm sure you can order masa harina online, too. (That's the corn flour used to make tortillas). Me personally, I would just make flour tortillas in that situation--- When I make tortillas from masa harina they crumble and don't come out too well.
good luck!I live in england.where can i buy ingredients to prepare mexican food?
Tesco? x x
a good size supermarket??? Don't know what you are looking for - but mine sells the refried beans, guacamole, seasonings etc.I live in england.where can i buy ingredients to prepare mexican food?
your local supermarket should have most things xxx
Asda is good fresh chillies etcI live in england.where can i buy ingredients to prepare mexican food?
Sainsbury should have it!
at a large supermarket in the ethnic foods section or in a mexican grocery...
Go to a large supermarket. The corner shop just wont do it for you.
My local tesco is an 'extra' store and is excellent - stocks all sorts of things id never heard of - slowly working my way through!
There is also an oriental deli which also stocks mexican things in the town where i live - so you could do an internet search for something like that in the nearest big town to where you live.
try any of the larger-sized supermarkets. i always find my mexican food there when i need them. mexican food is great!
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