Understanding Mexican Herbs and Spices
It is the herbs and spices used in Mexican cooking that truly make the meal. If these ingredients were not added, a Mexican dish would not differ greatly from many others. The herbs and spices used in Mexico help make the cuisine special. It is good to learn all you can about them.
Chile powder is the most well known spice used in Mexican cuisine. It is a mixture of many different types of chilies. Chipotle is made from smoked dried jalapeno peppers. Ancho, in comparison, has a fruity, sweet flavor. Many chili powders that you purchase at the grocery store are a combination of chilies, oregano, salt, coriander, garlic, and cumin.
Epazote is a green herb that grows fairly tall. Also known as, Mexican tea, this herb is used in bean dishes to add flavor and relieve digestive problems that beans may cause. Epazote is potent and should only be used in small quantities. Large quantities can be toxic. Just add a couple of leaves to your bean dish as it cooks.
Annatto seeds give food a distinctive flavor and a yellow coloring. It is often used in rice dishes and sauces. The seeds should be soaked in water for at least an hour. After soaking, they are crushed. Sometimes recipes call for the water that the seeds were soaked in; others call for the seeds themselves. They are often used in marinades along with other spices.
Cilantro is a popular herb that resembles flat leaf parsley. They are actually the leaves produced by the coriander plant. This herb is always used fresh. The flavor is tangy with a pungent quality that really makes a dish sing. It adds a nice bright note to rice, moles, salsas, beans, soups and stews.
The seeds of the cumin plant are often used in Mexican cooking. Cumin seeds can be used ground into powder or whole. It is often used with chile powder to create a nice balance in the flavors. Soups, stews and many other dishes are better after you add cumin. Azafran, also known as safflower or Mexican saffron, adds flavor and color to a dish, making it a beautiful yellow. This spice is used sparingly because it can be bitter. It is frequently added to rice or seafood.
If you pay attention to traditional Mexican food you will notice that these spices are used a lot along with oregano and thyme. For a truly Mexican flavor, look for Mexican oregano instead of the more common Italian oregano. It has an earthier flavor. This herb can be found in some specialty herb catalogs. It is unlikely that you will find it at the grocery store or in a local nursery unless you live in an area with a large Mexican population.
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.
What do you get if you combine the freshest produce with the best fish, meat or poultry and a clever combination of herbs and spices? The answer is Mexican food and if you have never tasted authentic Mexican recipes you have not lived! Most Mexican recipes are easy enough to cook at home too.