Understanding Mexican Herbs and Spices
Posted by Christine Szalay-Kudra on April 2, 2010
The herbs and spices used in Mexican cuisine are what truly give you the Mexican flavor you are craving. Without these spices, Mexican food would be bland. These herbs and spices bring out the goodness that we have come to expect from Mexican cuisine. If you truly want to make Mexican food, it pays to know about the spices.
Probably the most well known seasoning in Mexico is chile powder. This is made by mixing many different chilies that have been dried and ground. Chilies are also used fresh or roasted. Chipotle is made from jalapeno peppers that have been smoked and dried. Ancho is made from a chile with a sweet, fruity flavor. Many commercial chile powders that are found at the store are made of a combination of chilies, salt, oregano, garlic, coriander, and cumin.
Epazote is used in bean dishes. This tall green herb is also known as Mexican tea. It adds flavor and helps relieve digestive issues that beans can cause. Epazote is potent, so only add a leaf or two to your dishes. Large quantities of epazote can be toxic.
If you need a distinctive flavor or a yellow coloring to a dish, use annatto seeds. They are often added to sauces and rice dishes. The seeds are soaked for at least an hour in water before use. The water can also be used in cooking. The crushed seeds are often used in marinades.
You see cilantro at a lot of Mexican restaurants used as garnish or added to tacos and salads. It looks a lot like flat leaf parsley. Cilantro is what they call the leaves of the coriander plant. It should always be used when fresh. Cilantro has a tangy, pungent flavor that it imparts easily to salsa, rice, moles, beans, soups, and stews. It has a way of brightening up a dish.
Cumin is a spice made from the seeds of the cumin plant. They can be used whole or ground into a powder. Cumin is often used in conjunction with chile powder to create a balance in flavor. It is often used in soups, stews and other common dishes. Azafran is known as Mexican saffron, or safflower. This spice is used in very small amounts because it can be bitter. It causes the dish to develop a beautiful saffron like color and is often used in rice and seafood dishes.
If you are looking for free traditional Mexican recipes you will find that you need many of these spices as well as thyme and oregano. Mexican oregano is very different from Italian oregano. It has an earthy quality that really adds a lot to the food. Unless you live in an area with a large Mexican population, it may be difficult to find. You can sometimes find it in the grocery store or in specialty herb catalogs.
Familiarize yourself with the flavors of Mexico by studying the herbs and spices they commonly use in their cooking. You cannot get an authentic flavor without them. Make the most of your Mexican recipes by learning how to use these spices correctly. Your recipes will turn out much better once you understand the nuances of these seasonings.
Learn the truth about Mexican food history and find out more about the wonderful recipes that make MexicanFoodRecipes.org a favorite with the whole family.
