-A-
Anaheim – Long, thin green chile used in the USA to make chile rellenos. In New Mexico, when they ripen and turn bright red they’re dried in ristras, or strands and used in sauces. Green chiles, chile california or chilaca.
Abobora – A round, hard shelled, thick fleshed winter squash. It’s similar in texture and flavor to butternut squash
Aceituna –Olive
Acitrón –Candied cactus fruit
Achiote Paste – Yucatan-style paste made from ground annatto seeds, spices and lime juice or vinegar.
Achiote ground with spices and lime juice or vinegar
Adobo – A spicy paste used while cooking meats, poultry and fish or storing chipotles or a smoky, chile-based sauce with tomatoes, onions, garlic and spices.
Agua –Water
Aguacate – Avocado
Aguamiel – Juice of the maguey plant
Al carbón – Meat (any type) cooked over charcoal or wood coals.
Ahumado – Smoked
Anis Estrellado – Star anise. Star shaped spice from Southeast Asia with a smoky, licorice-like flavor
Anona –Sugar apple – an oval fruit covered with light green knobby protuberances
Aji Ayucllo – Wild pepper found in the jungle
Ajo – Garlic
Albaricoque – Apricot
Alambre – The skewer used in anticuchos
Albóndiga – Meatball (does not need to actually be meat)
Albahaca – Basil
Almeja –Clam
Almendra – Almond
Almíbar –Syrup
Almuerzo –Second breakfast
Anaheim – Long, thin green chile used in the USA to make chile rellenos. In New Mexico, when they ripen and turn bright red they’re dried in ristras, or strands and used in sauces. Green chiles, chile california or chilaca.
Ancho – Dried poblano chile
Annatto Oil – This hard, rectangular, rust colored seed has a tangy, earthy, almost iodine-like flavor. It’s sold in paste form in some regions however most use the seeds
Anticuchos –Spicy beef kabobs
Aperitivo – Appetizer
Apio –Celery
Arracheras – Skirt steak
Arroz – Rice
Asado – Broiled
Asadero – A soft, mild cheese
Atole – A thick beverage made from corn or rice
Atún – Tuna
Azafrán – Saffron
Azucar – Sugar
-B-
Bacalao – Dried fish
Bañar – To immerse in sauce
Barbacoa – Meat (usually cow’s head) baked in an earthen pit
Báscula – Scale
Batata – Latin American sweet potatoes
Batir – Beat
Bizcochos – Cookies or sweet buns, generally flavored with anise
Blanquear – Blanch
Bocadillo – Snack
Bolillo – Crusty rolls stuffed for sandwiches
Bonito – Latin American sweet potatoes
Boracho – Cooked with beer or other alcohol – drunken
Borrego – Sheep
Brasear – Braise
Brocheta – The skewer used in anticuchos
Bunuelos – Thick tortilla like wheat bread fried and served with ice cream or sugar as a dessert
Burrito – Almost anything rolled in a large tortilla
-C-
Al Carbón – Barbecued over wood or charcoal
Cabrito – Young goat
Calabaza – A round, hard shelled, thick fleshed winter squash. It’s similar in texture and flavor to butternut squash
Calamar – Squid
Caldo – Soup, broth
Camarón – Shrimp
Camote – Latin American sweet potatoes
Campechano – Seafood cocktail
Canela – Cinnamon
Capirotada – A dessert pudding served in the Easter season
Caramelo – Caramel
Carne – Beef
Carne asada – Broiled beef
Carne Guisada – A beef stew served over rice or tortillas
Carne Molida – Ground Beef
Cayenne – Pepper used in many hot sauces
Cazuelitas – A thin tortilla molded into a shallow bowl and deep fried before being filled
Cerveza – Beer
Caviche (Cebiche) – Raw seafood cooked by marinating in citrus juice
Chimichanga – Deep fried burrito
Chalupas – Thick, filled, boat shaped tortillas
Champurrado – Chocolate atole
Chícharo – Pea
Chicharrónes – Fried pork rinds
Chilatole – Chile and tomato atole
Churros – Strips of deep fried pastry sprinkled with sugar
Chorizo – Spicy pork sausage
Cilantro – A popular herb that has a citrus or soapy taste depending on our taste
Cocina – Kitchen
Comal – The round griddle used to cook tortillas
Comino – Cumin
Coriander – Seeds of cilantro. Used alone or ground as cumin
Cotija – A hard cheese also known as queso añejo
Cucharada – Tablespoon
Cucharadita – Teaspoon
Cumin – Ground coriander
-D-
Derretir – Melt
Desayuna – Breakfast
Deshuesar – Debone
Desvenar – Devein
Dulce – Sweet. candy
Durazno – Peach
-E-
Empanada – Fruit filled turnover
Enchiladas – Corn tortillas are cooked in oil, dipped in sauce, filled and baked with more sauce
Enfrijoladas – Corn tortillas filled and folded in half – topped with thinned frijoles before baking
Entrada – Main dish
Envueltos – Fried tacos
Escabeche – Pickling mixture
Escurrir – Strain
-F-
Fideos – Pasta, generally angelhair
Flan – A baked custard dessert topped with caramel
Flauta – Deep fried, stuffed corn tortillas
Freir – Fry
Fresadilla – Tomatillo
Fresas – Strawberries
Frijoles – Beans
Frijoles Refritos – Refried beans
-G-
Granada – Pomegranate
Granadilla – Round, lime size fruit has bright orange, highly perfumed, bracingly tart flesh. Also called passion fruit, parcha and maracuya
Gorditas – A thick tortilla, deep fried and stuffed in the air pocket similar to pita bread
Guacamole – A mashed avocado condiment often served as a dip
Guisado – Stewed
Guascas – The herb is rarely seen in North America, however the Colombians residing in the US substitute canned asparagus or frozen or fresh.
Guava – Small green or yellow egg shaped tropical fruit, when ripe, resembles taste of peaches.
-H-
Habenero – Hottest pepper available.
Hervir – Boil
Horchata – A sweet rice drink
Hornear – Bake
Huevos – Eggs
Huicoy – A round, hard shelled, thick fleshed winter squash. It’s similar in texture and flavor to butternut squash
-I-
-J-
Jalapeño – America’s most popular pepper
Jicama – Crisp, tan skinned white fleshed, turnip shaped root in the bean family. This is used in salsas as well as green salads
Jugo – Juice
-K-
-L-
Langosta – Lobster
Leche – Milk
Leche de Enco – Coconut milk
Leche Quemada – Burnt milk candy
Lechuga – Lettuce
-M-
Maíz – Dried corn
Malanga – Root looks like a gnarled, brown skinned carrot. The flesh can be pink, yellow or cream colored. The flavor is suggestive of potatoes and beans
Mamey Sapote – Looks like an elongated coconut.
Manioc – Yucca
Mango – Tropical fruit, orange flesh
Manteca – Lard
Maracuya – Round, lime size fruit has bright orange, highly perfumed, bracingly tart flesh. Also called granadilla, parcha and passion fruit
Margarita – A tequila based cocktail generally made with citrus and triple sec
Mariquita Cutter – Slotted board with a super sharp blade is used for cutting plantains, yuccas, and other root vegetables
Masa – Dough
Masa Harina – Masa processed with lime. An easy mix for tortillas and tamales
Metate – A rectangular stone grinding bowl
Mezclar – Mix
Molinillo – This intricately carved wooden beater is used for making drinks like Chocolate Mexicano
-N-
Names – Yams
Nogada – Sauce made from ground nuts
Naranja Agria – Sour orange is a member of the citrus family that looks like an orange
Nopal – Edible cactus
NuMex Big Jim Pepper – Largest chile, created from the New Mexican Chile in 1975
-O-
Olla de Presion – Pressure cooker
Ostión – Oyster
-P-
Pan Dulce – Sweet rolls
Panela – A crumbly cheese
Pasilla Pepper – Name means “little raisin”
Passion Fruit – Round, lime size fruit has bright orange, highly perfumed, bracingly tart flesh. Also called granadilla, parcha and maracuya
Parcha – Round, lime size fruit has bright orange, highly perfumed, bracingly tart flesh. Also called granadilla, passion fruit and maracuya
Parrilla – Cast-iron grid or grate is used for grilling or making tortillas
Pepitas – Pumpkin seeds
Pescado – Fish
Peter Pepper – Rare ornamental pepper
Pica de Gallo – Minced or processed salsa
Picada – Gordita
Piloncillo – Pressed, unrefined dark brown sugar
Piña – Pineapple
Piñon – Pine nut
Piquin – Chile pepper often used to flavor vinegars
Plantain – Plantains are closely related to bananas, but have more starch and are
Always cooked. Green ones are unripe and are baked like potatoes, for a
Similar period of time. Yellow ones are half-ripe and are also cooked like
Potatoes but not so long. Black ones are ripe and are peeled, sliced, and
Fried in butter/oil for a few minutes, until golden. They are creamy and
Vaguely reminiscent of bananas.
Poblano – Popular chile for chile rellenos
Pollo – Chicken
Postre – Dessert
Puerco – Pork
Pulpo – Octopus
-Q-
Quesadillas – Tortillas stuffed with various ingredients (cheese one) and folded in half. They can be fried, baked, sautéed or grilled until cheese melts forming a seal
Queso – Cheese
Queso Añejo – A hard cheese also known as cotija
Queso Fresco – Homemade or very fresh cheese
Quinoa – Tiny, round, ivory colored grain, originated in the Andes Mts. When cooked it swells to four times its size and looks like a tiny disk with a C-shaped tail
-R-
Rajas – Fried poblano slices
Rallar – Grate
Relleno – Filled
Rocotillo – This chile looks like a miniature patty pan squash. Orange, yellow, or pale green, it’s no larger than the tip of your thumb. It’s highly fragrant and aromatic
-S-
Salsa – A popular tomato based condiment
Salsa Cruda – Uncooked salsa
Salsa Fresca – Uncooked Salsa
Sangrita – Cocktail made of orange juice, grenadine, chile and tomato juice served on the side of tequila
Sapodilla – Round or exhaled fruit with a thin, dusky brown skin and off-white flesh, sapodilla tastes like a pear soaked in maple syrup
Seca – Dry
Serrano – Peppers – come ready to eat in red and green
Sofrito – The cornerstone of countless Latino dishes, including soups, stews, rices, beans
Sopa – Soup
Sopa Seca – Rice or pasta dish
-T-
Taco – Soft tortillas wrapped around almost anything with no seal on either end
Tacos al Pastor – Pork tacos
Tamal – Singular of tamales
Tamales – Your choice of filling surrounded by masa and steamed. A traditional meal of celebration
Taquitos – Small flautas
Tejolote – Pestle
Tequila – Liquor from the blue agave cactus
Tlacoyos – Tortilla dough encloses a simple filling and is grilled on a comal
Tomatillo – Looks like a small tomato with a husk. Used in green sauces
Torta – A sandwich served on a bolillo
Tortilla – A flat Mexican bread made of cornmeal or flour.
Tripas – Tripe
–U-
Uva – Grape
Uva Pasa – Raisin
-V-
Vains de Vanilla – Vanilla bean
Al Vapor – Steamed
Vino – Wine
-W-
-X-
Xnipec – A type of chile sauce
-Y-
Yautia – Root looks like a gnarled, brown skinned carrot. The flesh can be pink, yellow or cream colored. The flavor is suggestive of potatoes and beans
-Z-
Zacahuil – The largest tamal – eaten in the East Coast of Mexico
Zanahoria – Carrot
