Yucatecan Shredded Meat "Salpicon Yucateco"

In Yucatan, Mexico ..

..... the most common "salpicon" is made of shredded venison that has first been cooked in a pit barbecue called a pib. It is then mixed with orange juice, cilantro and radishes to make a fresh crisp filling on a hot day. In the Gulf of Mexico area, you can find "salpicon de jaiba" shredded crab meat cooked with onion, chiles and cilantro or shredded fish with olives, raisins and capers which it's called "saragalla". Yucatecan cuisine has its own unique style and is very different from what most people would consider "Mexican" food. It includes influences from the local Mayan culture, as well as Caribbean, Mexican, European (French) and Middle Eastern cultures. Chile Habanero and tortillas are found in a lot of different Yucatecan dishes. Some of the most common ingredients are pumpkin seeds, oregano, red onion, orange, sweet chile, lemon, achiote, chile xcat, chile habanero and cilantro. All these secret ingredients that are part of the Mayan heritage, are responsible for the distinct flavour of Yucatecan food. Mayan people had a very strong connection to corn which became the main pillar of their diet. In the Popol Vuh, a sacred Mayan book, they stated and believed that men originated from corn. If you want to try the real flavours of the Yucatecan cuisine you cannot pass this recipe and serve it with some nice warm corn tortillas ....

Salpicon Yucateco

Ingredients:

1 cup of cooked and shredded meat
1/2 cup of Seville orange juice: (1 tsp finely grated lemon rind, 2 tbsp fresh orange juice, 2 tbsp fresh grapefruit juice, 4 tbsp fresh lime juice)
2/3 cup very finely chopped radishes
3 tbsp very finely chopped cilantro
salt to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and let them season for 30 mins before serving. Serve at room temperature with fresh hot tortillas! It's finger licken' good! I added my personal twist as I don't really enjoy radishes, so I swap them for chopped tomatoes and it tasted heavenly!...