HARRIET ARKELL SAVVY SHOPPER: Mexican cuisine gets a makeover

Published: 19:03 EST, 20 April 2015 | Updated: 19:07 EST, 20 April 2015

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Manomasa Chipotle & Lime tortilla chips are perfect for dipping or as a base for plates of nachos

Chicken tikka masala might traditionally have been the UK’s favourite dish, but according to new figures from researchers Kantar, we Brits could be transferring our fondness for spice from Asia to South America.

In the past year, we’ve spent £264 million on Mexican foods — nearly twice as much as we spent on curries, and a 12.8 per cent increase on the previous year.

But forget sloppy burritos and watered-down margaritas: according to Selfridges our tastes in Mexican food are changing. The store has dubbed the new, sophisticated Mexican trend ‘Mexico 2.0’.

Gone are the piles of brown sludge, topped with sour cream, that you may have encountered in Mexican restaurants. Instead we are choosing smoked chilli paste, authentic spiced chocolate sauces, and artisan mezcal, the country’s traditional, cactus-derived spirit.

Not sure where to start? Take a look at Mexico: The Cookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte (£13.99), a vast tome containing every Mexican dish you can think of.

It will introduce you to a host of interesting ingredients, such as corn husks (available at Selfridges for £2.99), which are needed if you want to make classic tamales, stuffed with meat, cheese, veg and chillies.

Other specialist products to look out for include Santa Maria Chipotle Paste (£1.49 for 100g, Morrisons), which adds a hot, smoky flavour to anything from chilli con carne to guacamole.

And whether for dipping or plates of nachos, try Manomasa Chipotle & Lime tortilla chips (£2 for 160g, Waitrose).

Finally, Wahaca Mexican Arbol Chilli Sauce (£1.99, Ocado) is not for the faint-hearted, but this ‘searingly hot’ sauce is both authentic and delicious.

Going up... going down

Supermarket prices fluctuate more than you'd think.

Here, mysupermarket.co.uk, which tracks the price of thousands of groceries, reveals the biggest changes in what stores were charging for certain products between February and March.

HAVE A HEALTHY CHINESE TAKEAWAY WITH NEW RANGE OF DISHES

Cook, the upmarket frozen food firm, has launched a new Chinese takeaway range with a host of dishes

My husband has been in mourning since our local Chinese takeaway closed down, but I have found a solution — and I think it’s even better.

Cook, the upmarket frozen food firm, has launched a new Chinese Take-away range, and the dishes we tried were just stunning: well flavoured, spicy and lacking the grease of many a High Street takeaway.

Main dishes, which cost around £3.99 to serve one or £6.99 for two, include Chicken Chow Mein, Chicken in Black Bean Sauce and Singapore Noodles, while you can pick up side dishes from 99p, including Sesame Szechuan Prawns, Chinese Five-Spice Ribettes, and Egg (Not Fried) Rice.

Cook, which makes all the food in its kitchens at Sittingbourne, Kent, has branches across the country — check cookfood.net for your nearest branch — and also offers delivery.

An introductory £10 offer includes one main dish for two and two side dishes, until May 3, saving you up to £5.