Discover the Essential Flavors of Mexico

Love Mexican food and Mexican cooking? If so, you’re going to want to stock your pantry with the essential flavors of Mexico. A well stocked pantry means you’ll be able to enjoy fine Mexican cuisine any night of the week. Let’s start by looking at the essential spices in Mexican cooking.

Essential Mexican Herbs & Spices

Allspice – Allspice is a common spice used in pies and desserts.  The spice is the dried fruit of the Pimenta dioica plant found in Mexico and Central America.

Cinnamon – This particular spice is something you may already have in your pantry. However, the cinnamon that comes from Mexico has a bit of a different taste. See if you can’t find Canela, Mexican cinnamon, in your local specialty market. It’ll lend a unique flavor to your Mexican dishes.

Epazote – This herb is commonly used as a tea. It’s also used in beans, soups and stews, sauces and tamales. You can find it dried or fresh in your Mexican market.

Oregano – Like cinnamon, you may have oregano in your spice rack already. Mexican oregano has a unique, and stronger, flavor. You can likely find Mexican Oregano in the spice section of your supermarket. It is found fresh and dried in many Mexican markets.

Cilantro – This green herb is a common ingredient in salsas, sauces, guacamole, and as an adornment for the plate. It’s also known as Chinese parsley and is easy to find in the U.S.

Chile powder – Chili powder is a blend of several different dried chilies, cumin, and oregano. You can make your own chili powder at home and save room in your spice rack. However, if you want to try a few unique chili powders try Ancho chili powder or chipotle chili powder.

Essential Mexican Staples

Masa – You just can’t cook authentic Mexican food without using masa sometimes. Dried masa, called masa harina, is sold in packages like flour. You can use it to make tortillas, tamales, and a number of other dishes.

Hominy – Hominy is dried maize that’s been treated with lye. You can buy it dried or in a can. It’s part of menudo and a number of other traditional Mexican dishes.

Crema – This condiment is essentially Mexican sour cream. You can use it to garnish tacos, burritos and other traditional dishes.

Chilies – Stock your pantry with dried chilies of all varieties. Stock your fridge with the most common including jalapeno, serrano, and poblano. If you really like it hot, try habanero.

Essential Mexican Produce

While you’re in the produce section of your supermarket stocking up on chilies, don’t forget the following:

Plantains – Looks like a banana but tastes like a sweet potato. It’s generally fried, baked, or mashed and can be a side dish or a dessert. It’s eaten cooked, not raw.

Tamarind – This fruit grows in pods on the tamarind tree. It’s commonly eaten raw or used to flavor beverages, juices, and sweets. You can also find tamarind in many sauces.

Tomatillo – Tomatillos look like tiny green tomatoes. They grow in papery husks that are peeled off before using. You’ll find them in green chili recipes, soups, stews, and salsas. They’re tart and tangy.

Papaya – This fruit is native to Central America and Mexico. It’s a large fruit with a sweet taste.

Avocado – Avocado is the foundation for guacamole and is an ingredient in a several traditional recipes.

Jicama – This is a root vegetable with a sweet flavor. It’s crisp like an apple but crunchy like a radish. You can eat it raw and as part of a salad.

Yucca – This is another root that is used like potatoes. You can fry it, mash it, and bake it. It’s also used in some soups and stews.

While you can find many of these ingredients in your local supermarket, you may need to go to a specialty store to find some of the more authentic flavors. If you have a good size Mexican market in your town then head there as they are going to have most of these items. Make a list. Stock your pantry and enjoy Mexican flavors all year round.