Mexican pantry
Mexican foods owe their flavor to their traditional condiments. Herbs such as oregano and basil, and spices such as cumin are among them. Garlic is also a popular seasoning in Mexico but no Mexican dish, unless is dessert, is considered finished without adding chili in some fashion.
Ingredients for Mexican cooking
Mexican cuisine would not be what it is without the bite and flavor chili peppers put in. There are several kinds of chilies, and they can be found fresh, dried, or canned. Chili peppers are not equal. They have different degrees of spiciness, ranging from the mild green California chili to the fiercely hot Jalapeño pepper. Chili powder – a mix of ground dried chili and herbs – is also used often, as are small, sweet red pimientos – the Spanish word for chili pepper – used to give color and interest to Mexican dishes.
Beans – frijoles or habichuelas – You'll find and incredible variey of beans in Mexican cuisine. However, red kidney beans and pinto - spotted - beans are the two vareities most used.
Chili peppers – chili o chiles – Fresh, canned or dried. Stock a variety of dried chili peppers, especially Californian, chipotle, ancho and Jalapeño.
Coriander – cilantro – Fresh coriander leaves as garnish, toasted coriander seeds or ground coriander as condiment.
Cumin – comino – Cumin is an important spice in Mexican cuisine.
Lime – lima – Limes are an essential ingredient in many dishes, drinks and as garnish.
Oregano – orégano – For Latin American cooking, use Mexican oregano.
Pumpkin seeds – pepitas – Usually hulled and sold salted -for a snack- or unsalted -for cooking. Pumpkin seeds also come hull on toasted or raw -still easy enough to toast yourself. They are sometimes ground and used as a thickening and flavoring agent or even as a coating, as you would bread crumbs. Raw hulled pumpkin seeds will keep in your pantry but can get rancid, keep them best in your freezer.
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Mexican foods owe their flavor to their traditional condiments. Herbs such as oregano and basil, and spices such as cumin are among them. Garlic is also a popular seasoning in Mexico but no Mexican dish, unless is dessert, is considered finished without adding chili in some fashion.
Ingredients for Mexican cooking
Mexican cuisine would not be what it is without the bite and flavor chili peppers put in. There are several kinds of chilies, and they can be found fresh, dried, or canned. Chili peppers are not equal. They have different degrees of spiciness, ranging from the mild green California chili to the fiercely hot Jalapeño pepper. Chili powder – a mix of ground dried chili and herbs – is also used often, as are small, sweet red pimientos – the Spanish word for chili pepper – used to give color and interest to Mexican dishes.
Beans – frijoles or habichuelas – You'll find and incredible variey of beans in Mexican cuisine. However, red kidney beans and pinto - spotted - beans are the two vareities most used.
Chili peppers – chili o chiles – Fresh, canned or dried. Stock a variety of dried chili peppers, especially Californian, chipotle, ancho and Jalapeño.
Coriander – cilantro – Fresh coriander leaves as garnish, toasted coriander seeds or ground coriander as condiment.
Cumin – comino – Cumin is an important spice in Mexican cuisine.
Lime – lima – Limes are an essential ingredient in many dishes, drinks and as garnish.
Oregano – orégano – For Latin American cooking, use Mexican oregano.
Pumpkin seeds – pepitas – Usually hulled and sold salted -for a snack- or unsalted -for cooking. Pumpkin seeds also come hull on toasted or raw -still easy enough to toast yourself. They are sometimes ground and used as a thickening and flavoring agent or even as a coating, as you would bread crumbs. Raw hulled pumpkin seeds will keep in your pantry but can get rancid, keep them best in your freezer.
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