A little food guide to help you when you come and visit Cancun or Riviera Maya, don’t do what I did and put what I thought was guacamole all over my taco but when in fact it was a very hot green chili sauce.

 

 

 

Ajo

Garlic

Achiote

Red paste made from annatto seeds.

Albóndigas

Meatballs

Al Horno

Oven-baked

Annatto

Small, dark red seed used by the Maya Indians to color and flavor food.

Ancho

A Poblano chile that has been dried and turned a black-red color; means wide.  The most popular dried chile in Mexico and the US.  It’s dried poblamo chile and the smoky-sweet flavor accents numerous dishes.  Approx. 3”-4” long, dark, reddish brown, sweetest of all the dried chiles and slightly fruity flavor.

Antojito

An hors d’oeuvre or small snack food (appetizer)

Arroz

Rice

Asadero cheese

A white cow’s milk cheese of Mexican origin: comes in braids, balls or round. Also known as Chihuahua and Oaxaca cheese.

Asar

To roast or broil

Ate

Thick fruit jelly, typically made of quince or guave and often served with cheese.

Azucar

Sugar

Barbacoa

Barbecued meat

Bizcochos

Sweet cakes and cookies often eaten for breakfast such as chilindrinas or campechanas.

Borracho

Cooked with wine; means drunk.

Buñuelo

Puffy, sweet, deep-fried pastry

Burrito/Burro

Large flour tortilla wrapped around a filling .

Cacahuatas

Peanuts

Cafe

Coffee.

Cajeta de Celaya

Fudge sauce made with goat’s milk.

Calabaza

Squash, pumpkin

Caldo

Soup, broth .

Caliente

Hot to the touch (temperature)

Camarón

Shrimp

Canela

Cinnamon.

Capirotada

Spicy bread pudding, made with raisins, fruit and cheese, served during Lent; means a little bit of everything .

Carne

Meat, specifically beef

Carnero

Lamb.

Carne a la Tampiqueña

Thin strips of beef, grilled.

Carnitas

Shredded Pork

Cebolla

Onion .

Cerveza

Beer

Ceviche

Salad made of raw fish “cooked” in limejuice combined with tomatoes, onions, spices, chiles, served with chips as an appetizer.

Chalupa

Boat shaped, fried corn tortillas, garnished with sauce, lettuce and onions.

Chicharrones

Deep fried pork rinds, a favorite snack in Mexico.

Chicos

         A dish of parched corn cooked with pork.

Chilaquiles

Corn tortilla pieces marinated in chile, layered with a filling, sauce and cheese, and baked in a casserole .

Chile con queso

A melted cheese dip seasoned with mild green chilies. Served with tortilla chips.

Chiles en nogada

Called the “independence dish” as its colors are those of the Mexican flag. Made with green chilies stuffed with ground meat and almonds and covered with walnut sauce, and then garnished with pomegranate kernels.

Chiles rellenos

Translates to “stuffed peppers”, cheese-stuffed mild green chilies, dipped in an egg batter and fried until crisp.

Chili con carne

Translates to “chili with meat”, diced or ground beef, chilies and chili powder.

Chili Powder

Commercially, the product made from ground red chiles, including a variety of other spices .

Chimichanga

Deep-fried meat-filled burritos.

Chipotle

Ripened and smoked jalapeno. Fiery hot with lasting smoky flavor .

Chongos

Milky desert of curds in syrup and cinnamon.

Chorizo

Spicy pork and beef sausage.

Churro

Mexican specialty made of a  sweet-dough spiral, deep-fried, coated  with cinnamon and sugar usually served with hot chocolate.

Chuleta

Chop or cutlet

Cilantro

A pungent green herb used in Mexican food cooking, Indian and Central Asian recipes.  The seed produced at full maturity is coriander .

Coco

Coconut

Comal

Heavy, round griddle for baking tortillas.

Cumin (Comino)

A pungent spice commonly used in Mexican dishes. Available in seed and ground form. Has a nutty flavor and aroma. Used in dishes such as chili and tamales.

Crema

Cream.

Ejote

String bean

Elote

Corn.  Sometimes called helote .

Empanada

A Mexican pie made by baking meat or fruit that has been wrapped in dough.

Enchilada

A corn tortilla dipped in red chile sauce, rolled around just about anything, then topped with sauce and cheese.

Enfrijoladas

Lightly fried tortillas which are folded and then smothered in a smooth sauce made with beans. A variety of toppings are added.

Enrollado

Rolled

Ensalada

Salad

Escabeche

Pickled

Fajita

Skirt steak.  Most people associate “fajita” with a taco or the strips of meat that go into the taco.  Beef skirt steak comes from the outer covering of the breast near where the brisket comes from.   There are only 2 skirts per cow, a highly flavorful cut of meat as a result of the fat membrane that ‘burns’ off when cooked

Farina

Wheat Flour

Fideos

Vermicelli.  Thin pasta

Flan

Baked custard with caramel coating .

Flauta

Means “flute”. Corn tortilla tightly rolled around a filling, then deep-fried.

Frijoles

A traditional Mexican dish made from pinto beans and served with any meal as a side dish. Fried beans are mashed and then refried in lard. Refried beans can be purchased in supermarkets in a can.

Galletas

Cookies.

Gallina

Hen

Garbanzo

Chickpea

Gazpacho

Cold, spicy tomato and vegetable soup.

Granada

Pomegranate

Guacamole

Avocado mixture that is made from ripened avocados and lemon or limejuice, diced onions and tomato, cilantro.  Used as a condiment in numerous Tex – Mex dishes.

Guajolote

In Mexico, turkey; pavo is turkey in other Spanish-speaking countries.

Habanero

Mexico’s hottest.  Delicate looking green, yellow and orange “lanterns” are prized by the Yucatecos for their hotter-than-heck fire.  Green and crispest, orange are softest.  The special fruity flavor compliments fresh salsas made with tropical fruits.

Habas
          Beans.
Harina

Wheat flour.

Helado

Ice cream.

Huevo

Egg.  Also blanquillo.

Huavos a la Mexicana

Scrambled eggs with tomatoes, chilies and onions.

Huevos motuleños

Tortilla topped with ham, fried eggs and a sauce made with cheese, peas and tomatoes.

Huevos revueltos

Scrambled eggs.

Jalapeño

The most widely used fresh green (ripens to red) chile in the US.  Also, referred to as the Texas sweet pickle.  Averages 2″ in length.  The “hot” comes from the seed and the membrane.  It is the most used pepper in Tex Mex cooking with Serrano pepper coming in 2nd.   A great source of vitamin C.  When ripened and smoked, it becomes a chipotle chile.

Jamón

Ham

Jícama

A white-fleshed root vegetable also called a Mexican potato. It is crunchy and sweet and can be eaten either raw or cooked. Makes a great addition to salads or can be boiled and baked like a potato, available from May to November.

Jocoque

A Mexican style of sour cream with equal or less fat content than American sour cream. Flavors range from mildly tangy to refreshingly sharp.

Jugo de Naranja

Orange juice

Kahlúa

Coffee-flavored liqueur made in Mexico.

Leche

Milk.

Lechuga

Lettuce

Maíz

Corn

Mano

Means “hand”. A piece of volcanic rock used with both hands to grind food against another rock.

Manteca

Lard

Mantequilla

Butter

Manzana

(Peron and rocolo chile) Fresh chile, looks like a cross between a yellow bell pepper and a golden habanero.  Medium to hot at its peak.  It has black seeds and the flower is purple.  Fruity flavor with a thin flesh.

 

 

Margaritas

The national drink of Mexico! Margaritas are made with Tequila, Triple Sec and sweet & sour mix (a pre-bottled mix generally containing both lemon & lime juice). If you just order a “Margarita” in most bars and restaurants you will likely be served one made with the above ingredients, using the “house brand” of Tequila. If you request a better Tequila at a higher cost Cointreau, an orange liqueur, will be used. If ordering a Margarita made with a premium or super premium Tequila, its best made with Grand Marnier.

Mariscos

Shellfish;  fish is pescado.

Masa

Dough called nixtamal. Masa is the corn based tamale dough surrounding the tamale filling. Masa is made from stone-ground corn, lard, and spices. Masa is spread onto softened corn husks, topped with a filling and then folded to create a tamale.

Masa Harina

Masa Harina is a flour that is made from cooking dried corn kernels with lime and then grinding. It can be used to make corn tortillas and masa for tamales. It can also be used for breads and other foods.

Menudo

Tripe soup; New Year’s Day tradition to ease hangovers. A spicy soup made from tripe, chile, hominy and spices. Served with lemon slices, onion, oregano, avocado, and chile which you add to taste. Also served with warm tortillas.

Mexican Chocolate

Chocolate that has been flavored with cinnamon, almonds and vanilla. It is available in Mexican markets and is used for hot chocolate or mole sauces.

Miel

Honey.

Molcajete

A volcanic rock- stone mortar and pestle used in traditional Mexican cooking. Used to grind spices, corn, and vegetables.

Mole

Term used for a thick sauce or paste. A spicy rich traditional Mexican sauce that is usually served with poultry. The most common ingredients include nuts, seeds, spices, Mexican chocolate, and chiles. The most famous moles are Mole Poblano and Oaxaca’s black mole.

Mora

A cordovan-colored chipotle with a fruit-leather texture. This midsize Jalapeno is lightly smoked and often used for canned chipotles in adobo.  Mostly used in salsas and sauces.

Moros con cristianos

A nutritious rice dish made with black beans and garnished with fried plantain.

Naranja

Orange

Nixtamal

Hominy: raw corn grains, soaked in lime, then ground to make a dough (masa) for tortillas, tamales and chalupas.

Nopales

Known as the “prickly pear” cactus in America, this cactus is cleaned of spines, diced and used in many Mexican dishes. The cactus leaf looks like a large green paddle with spines. The fruit of the cactus called tuna can also be eaten. The cactus is usually boiled or grilled. Cooked cactus can be added to soups, stews, scrambled with eggs or used as taco filling.

Oja

Cornhusk, used to wrap tamales; sometimes called hoja.

Olla

Clay pot.  A utensil in which beans are simmered.

Pan

Bread

Pan Dulce

Translated as “sweet bread”. A sweet round dessert bread topped with fine red, yellow or brown colored sugar. A Mexican Christmas  tradition.

Panucho

A Yucatecan dish of layered tortillas stuffed with beans.

Pastel

Cake.

Pay

Pie

Pepino

Cucumber

Picadillo

Meat hash

Picante

Hot to the taste buds .

Pico de gallo

Translates to rooster’s beak in Spanish. This is a relish of fruit topped with a sprinkle of chile.

Piloncillo

Brown sugar formed into a cone for marketing.

Pimienta

Black pepper

Piña

Pineapple

Pipián

A sauce made of pumpkin seed, chile and spices.

Poblano

A variety of chile

Pollo

Chicken

Postre

Dessert

Posole

A soup made from roasted corn. A spicy soup made from beef or pork, chile, hominy and spices. Served with lemon slices, onion, oregano, avocado, and chile which you add to taste. Also served with warm tortillas.

Puerco

Pork.

Quesadilla

Fried or grilled corn or wheat tortillas filled with cheese and a variety of fillings.

Queso

Cheese

Rábano

Radish

Rajas

Chili strips and onion slices in tomato sauce.

Refrescos

Soft drinks.

Relleno

Stuffed

Repollo

Cabbage

Ristra

String of dried red chiles.

Sal

Salt  “Sin sal” means without salt, useful to know when ordering a tequila cocktail called a margarita, which usually is served with its rim coated with salt.

Salchicha

Sausage

 

Salsa

Sauce.  Usually  refers to a tomato-based condiment used to dip or to accent dishes.  If the salsa is uncooked, as in Pico De Gallo, it is referred to as “salsa cruda.”  If it is processed, in Tex Mex lingo, this is called “chile.”  If cooked and then bottled, this is called “picante”.

Sangría

A drink made of red or white wine, sugar, oranges, lemons and lime.

Seco

Dry

Serrano Pepper

The serrano pepper is a very hot pepper, slightly hotter than a jalapeno pepper. Used often in salsa’s and table sauces, the serrano chile pepper is thin skinned making it easy to work with (no need to remove the skin).

Sopa

Soup. Varieties include de aguacate (avocado), de fideo (chicken broth with noodles), de lima (chicken stock flavored with lemon).

Sopes

Miniature fried corn-dough bowls filled with beans and sauce and topped with cheese. Many varieties can be found.

Taco

A corn tortilla folded over a filling.

Tacos al carbon

Soft corn tortillas wrapped in around cooked meats.

Tamale (plural is tamales)

A corn husk stuffed with masa, meat or beans.  Masa (dough) that surrounds your choice of filling, traditionally pork.  The 5″-6″ long and 1″ thick tamale is wrapped in a soaked cornhusk and steamed to cook dough.  A traditional Mexican Christmas dish.

Tatemar

Verb meaning to roast, peel and seed green chiles.

Té Caliente

Hot Tea.

Té Helado

Iced Tea.

Tejano

Spanish word meaning “Texan”.

Tequila

Distilled liquor made from the agave, or century plant. Typically served in a shot glass or blended in margaritas or other cocktails.

Tomatillo

Looks like a tiny green tomato, actually a relative of the gooseberry family. Enclosed in a paper-like husk that is removed before cooking. Used in a variety of Mexican dishes and sauces to add an acidic flavor. Native to Mexico but can be found fresh or canned in many grocery stores.

Topopo

A salad shaped like a volcano or pyramid.

Torta

A Mexican sandwich made from bolillo (hard Mexican roll) cut in half and stuffed with tomatoes, avocados or guacamole and carne asada, shredded beef or chicken, cheese and salsa.

Tortilla

A thin, flat bread made from wheat flour or corn masa.

Tortilla Press

A device used to flatten balls of masa (corn meal dough) into thin patties for tortillas.

Tostada

A fried flat corn tortilla topped with a layer of beans, shredded beef or chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, avocado and salsa.

Tripe

The stomach lining of a cow, pig or sheep. Must be cleaned for cooking. The primary ingredient used in menudo soup.

Uvas

Grapes.

Vainilla

Vanilla

Veracruzana

Fish cooked with tomatoes and onions.

Zanahoria

Carrot.