Mexico has some of the best food in the world – tacos, tortas, burritos, gorditas, mole, nachos, guacamole, pan dulce and many more. But there's one dish that stole my heart: chilaquiles. According to any Mexican, this indulgent dish is the perfect cure for a hangover, and unlike some home remedies like kale smoothies and ginger shots, chilaquiles are delicious and can be customized to please everyone's taste buds and dietary needs. Keep reading to find out why you should try chilaquiles for a hangover.
What Are They?
Like most Mexican dishes, chilaquiles are a corn tortilla-based entreé. The tortilla is cut into triangles and deep fried and then covered in hot sauce. There are many sauce varieties but the most popular ones are salsa roja and salsa verde. They're made with fresh tomato and spices. The chilaquiles are then topped with cheese, cream, onion slices, and avocado and served with a side of refried beans and sometimes some type of meat like chicken or pulled pork, eggs, or even meat-free substitutes like soyrizo or texturized soy protein. If you haven't realized, this is like a spicy version of nachos but way better, in my opinion.
Do They Really Cure a Hangover?
Chilaquiles are typically eaten at the end of a party, especially if the party ends really late. But people eat it for breakfast and lunch too and it's commonly served in most Mexican restaurants. Supposedly, the fried tortillas can help you settle your stomach after a long night of partying and the hot sauce makes your body produce more saliva which aids digestion and helps the body get rid of the alcohol. Obviously, this is not scientifically proven but Mexicans swear by it and it has become a tradition over the years. Also, if you go to a party and the host serves you chilaquiles, take it as a polite way of them kicking you out because by this point it's probably too late and the party should be over.
How to Make Them
If you're curious or hangover by this point don't worry, chilaquiles are very easy to make and there are a ton of recipes online that fit anyone's diets, preferences, and budgets. This a classic recipe, but here's a healthier version that uses baked totopos instead of fried, a vegan version, a baked version, a torta de chilaquiles (pictured) which is a chilaquiles-filled sandwich, and a non-spicy version for the ones with weak stomachs. And remember that chilaquiles are typically gluten-free too. Like you could notice, you don't need a lot of ingredients to make chilaquiles for a hangover but the key is in finding some good quality totopos, this is a good brand to try, but if you can't find them you could try making your own by simply frying some corn tortillas.
Next time you're out partying, try chilaquiles and find out for yourself if they really cure a hangover or not – and even if they don't, you would've discovered a delicious dish that's pretty cheap too because it's made out of Mexican staples foods like tortilla and sauce. Chilaquiles for a hangover FTW.