Tripas facts for kids
Machitos with beans
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| Type | Sauce |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Mexico |
| Main ingredients | intestine |
Tripas are a special food in Mexican cuisine. They are sometimes called chitterlings in English. Tripas are made from the small intestines of farm animals. These parts are carefully cleaned, boiled, and then grilled until they are ready to eat.
People often use tripas as a tasty filling for tacos. After being put into a taco, they are topped with yummy things. These toppings can include fresh cilantro, chopped onions, and spicy chile sauce. You might also find them served with pico de gallo or creamy guacamole.
Contents
How to Prepare Tripas
Making tripas the Mexican way needs a lot of care. Cooks must be careful so the tripas do not become too chewy or rubbery. They are usually cooked in a special pan called a "Disco".
The Disco Cooking Pan
A Disco is made from two tilling discs. These are like large metal plates used in farming. They are welded to an iron pole in the middle. This creates a bowl-like pan on top, similar to a wok. Another disc is placed about 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) below it.
Cooking Process
The tripas are put into the top disc and filled with water. The lower disc is filled with wood or charcoal to create heat. The tripas are boiled for several hours until they become very soft. More water is added as needed during this time.
Once the tripas are tender, the cook lets the water boil away. Then, the tripas continue to cook in their own fat. This step helps them get crispy and delicious.
Different Levels of Crispiness
Tripas can be prepared to three different levels of crispiness:
- Soft: This level is reached soon after the water boils off. The tripas are still tender and have a smooth, velvety feel. They should be firm but not rubbery.
- Medium Crispy: To get this, the tripas cook longer in their own fat. The outside becomes crispy and a bit hard. However, the inside usually stays soft and velvety.
- Extra Crispy:' This level means the tripas cook until they are crispy all the way through. Sometimes, cooks add lard (animal fat) to the Disco to help them get extra crispy. But, true "Cocineros" (Mexican chefs) believe it is best to use only the tripas own fat.
Portuguese Tripas
In Portuguese cuisine, tripas refers to beef stomach, not small intestines. A famous dish is Tripas à moda do Porto. This dish is tripe cooked with white beans. It is considered the traditional food of the city of Porto. The people from Porto are even informally known as tripeiros, which means "tripe eaters."
See also
In Spanish: Machito (comida) para niños
