First Cook: Daniella Guevara Muñoz’s New Cookbook Provecho Goes Big on “Real” Mexican Food

Daniella Guevara Muñoz has strong opinions about Mexican food. Growing up in Mexico City, immersed in street food culture, why wouldn't she? It was the lack of authentic options in Australia that forced her to quit her job as a marine biologist on the Great Barrier Reef and open up a Mexican restaurant. In 2017, without a hint of commercial kitchen experience, Guevara Muñoz and her husband Kor van Dijk opened La Popular Tacqueria in Port Adelaide, South Australia. It was this journey that led to the creation of her debut cookbook: Provecho.

The title roughly translates to “enjoy your meal” – heard as guests breeze in and out of eateries in Mexico. For my first cook, I tried my hand at the stuffed jalapeno tacos. It was the first line that hooked me: “Quite an elaborate taco but fun to make and tasty as hell.” I’m intrigued.

It was an interesting process of scoring, boiling and stuffing jalapenos with mozzarella before coating in flour and a mixture of whipped egg whites with the yolks folded through. Once deep-fried, the batter is more spongy than crisp (which helps seal in all that mozz) – and even with my shoddy stuffing technique and lingering concerns about a blowout, it was all perfect. In Danielle we trust! The accompanying salsa is fresh tomatoes, whole spices and white onion blitzed to oblivion, strained then simmered.

Pre-bought corn tortillas will do the trick, but you’ll be rewarded if you whip up your own batch.

With everything prepped, including a pot of white rice steaming on the stove, I was ready for the much-awaited assembly. It began with a warm tortilla and a scoop of white rice, a golden mozz-stuffed jalapeno on top, then finished with a couple of generous spoons of warmed salsa.

Was it a project? Yes, and the state of my kitchen was there for evidence. Was it all worth it? Completely. The heat of the jalapeno was mellowed by the creaminess from the mozzarella and the fluffy grains of rice. And it was all brought together with the acidity and subtle spice of the tomato salsa. Excellent.

Provecho teaches us Old El Paso-loving Aussies that real Mexican food doesn’t resonate with a hard shell, ground beef and a bag of grated cheese mix (no matter how delicious and nostalgic that may be!). There are bites of history and schooling throughout the book: a Mexican culinary timeline, a short glossary with useful words, an extensive list of online Mexican grocery stockists and a guide for where to eat in Mexico City. There is no space for blank filler pages as Guevara Muñoz spills her obsession with tradition and culture, from front to back.

She’s well aware of the limitations of Mexican ingredients in Australia and assures us that simple substitutions won’t make much difference. No cotija? Just swap out with ricotta salata or Cyprus halloumi.

With summer entertaining in sight, I’m already planning my next dinner party with Guevara Muñoz’s grilled prawns and slow-cooked short ribs in tomatillo, served with tortillas, a couple of Micheladas (Bloody Mary’s cousin), and a slice of her cheese flan for dessert. I simply cannot wait.

Provecho: Real Mexicano Food at Home by Daniella Guevara Muñoz is available in bookshops across Australia.

Gemma Plunkett is a Sydney-based dinner party tragic and home cook who is a writer, content strategist and recipe developer. Find her (but mostly food) in pictures or in your inbox via her free newsletter Ding!