An explanation of some terms and/or titles that may be unfamiliar.
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What is Mexican/Tex-Mex / SW USA cuisine?
Glad you asked!
Welcome to Mexican/Tex-Mex / SW USA cuisine 101! We will try our best to introduce you to this unique and wonderful cuisine.
Let's start with MEXICO!
Mexican cuisine is known for fiery dishes, intense flavors and abundant varieties of ingredients. Authentic Mexican food takes its roots in Aztec and Mayan traditions combined with a strong influence from Spanish colonists who imported rice, beef, pork, chicken, wine, garlic and onions with the native pre-Columbian foods of maize, tomato, vanilla, avocado, papaya, pineapple, chili pepper, beans, squash, limes, sweet potato, peanut and turkey.
The most recognized dishes are probably tacos, enchiladas and burritos. Explore deeper and you will find wonderful dishes such as tamales, moles (MOW-lays), sopas, and tortas. Like many countries, ingredients and dishes are influenced by region or location. For example, seafood is more popular in coastal areas, while smaller or more rural areas are more likely to use ingredients such as lizard, iguana, snake, monkey, grasshoppers, and insects in all forms including larva and eggs.
Although the names may seem strange and even very foreign to you such as cabrito, poblano, barbacoa, or chilaquiles, they can offer your taste buds a new and exciting dining experience.
Many thanks to Mami Janine for helping to add to this growing list!
Please let us know if there is anything you would like to see added or explained!
Aceite = oil
Aceite de Maiz = corn oil
Aceite de Nuez = walnut oil
Aceite de Oliva = olive oil
acitron/biznaga- made from a cactus (biznaga)
adobado = food made using adobo
Adobo - similar to a marinade
Aguacate = avocado
Ajo = garlic
Ajo en Pulvo = garlic powder
Ajo Granulado = granulated garlic
Alb�ndigas - meatballs
Apio = celery
Arroz = Rice
Arroz amarillo = yellow rice
Arroz con camarones - shrimp and rice
Arroz con lima= rice with lime
Arroz con pollo - chicken and rice
Arroz Espa�ol = Spanish rice
Arroz Verde =green rice
Ate de Guayaba/ Guayabate- Guava Paste
Ate- Sweet Quince paste
Az�car = sugar
Az�car Glas� = powdered sugar
Az�car Moreno = brown sugar
barbacoa- barbeque
Bicarbonato de Soda = baking soda
birria- stew
Bistec a la Mexicana - beefsteak
bistec picado- pieces of steak- like stir fry
Bolillos = a hard roll
Borrachitos- candy
burrito- filled, folded torilla
Cabrito = goat
Cacao = cocoa
Calabaza =squash
calabaza- squash
Caldo - soup
caldo de camaron= shrimp soup
caldo de pescado siete mares = bouillabaise of 7 types of fish
caldo de pollo = of chicken
caldo de pollo= chicken soup
caldo de queso, cheese soup
caldo de res =beef soup
caldo de tarasca or de tortilla- of tortilla
Caldo tlalpe�o =chicken,rice and vegetables
camote- sweet potato
Ca�a de Az�car = sugar cane
Canela = cinnamon
carne asada - roasted meat
Carne de Cerdo = pork
Carne de Vaca = beef
Carne en Su Jugo- Pieces of meat simmered in a tomatillo sauce with beans
carne guisada - meat in gravy
Carne Tampique�a, Tampico-style of carne asada
Carnitas - 'little meats' pieces of meat
Cassava- Yuca, Manioc
cebollas=onions
cecina- salted dried meat
cemitas - sandwiches
Cerdo =Pork
Ceviche = sort of a salsa of seafood "cooked" in citrus
chapulines = grasshoppers
charales, small fish, basically a type of smelt
chicharr�n and chicharrones =
Chicharros = peas
chilacayote- type of squash
chilaquiles
Chilaxtle- Pork stew with nopales
chile relleno
Chile Rellenos- chile stuffed, battered and fried
Chiles en nogada =
chilorio
chilpachole de jaiba
chimichangas
choriqueso
chorizo
chuletas= chops, -ahumadas= smoked pork chops
churipo
Clavo = cloves
cochinita pibil
cocido
c�ctel de camar�n and other seafood cocktails
Consome = broth or dry bouillon
Costilla- Beef or pork ribs, cut in short sections and usually cooked in sauce
Cremas = Cream Soups, usually vegetable
Cremas de mariscos = seafood soup
dulce de: (crystallized pieces of)
Durazno = peach
Elote - corn
empanadas
enchilada (red or green)
Ensalada = salad
escamoles= ant larvae
Extracto de Vainilla = vanilla extract
fajita = grilled, sliced meat
Fideo = thin short noodles
Flautas = flute shape filled tortilla
Frijoles = beans
Frijoles charros = drunk beans
Frijoles negros = black beans
Frijoles pintos = pinto beans
Frijoles refritos =Refried beans
fritadas de camaron
fruta con chile y cucumbers =fruit and chili and cucumbers (like a smoothie)
frutas y jicamas - jicama
frutas y mango
frutas y melon
frutas y oranges
frutas y pineapple
frutas y watermelon
Gallina = hen
Garbanzos- green garbanzo beans steam-roasted and sold as snacks
Gelatinas- Jello desserts, water or milk based
glorias - candy
gorditas
gringas
Guacamole, course mix of avocado, onion, etc
habas= fava beans, usually dried
Habichuelas = beans
Harina = flour
Harina con Levadura = self-raising/self-rising flour
Harina de Arroz = rice flour
Harina de Avena = oat flour
Harina de Cebada = barley flour
Harina de Reposter�a = pastry/cake flour
Harina de Soja = soy flour
Harina Integral de Trigo = whole wheat flour
Hojuelas de Maiz = cornflakes
huaraches
huaunzontles
Huevos = eggs
huevos= eggs
huitlacoche = fungus/smut grown on corn
Iris bulbs
Jam�n =Ham
Jicama
Leche = milk
Leche Condensada = condensed milk
Leche Evaporada = evaporated milk
lechuga = lettuce
lengua = tongue
Lengua = tongue
Lentejas - lentils
Levadura = leavening/yeast
Levadura en Polvo = baking powder
Lomo- Pork tenderloin, usually cooked and shredded
longaniza
machaca
mancha manteles
Manteca = lard
Mantequilla = butter
Manzanas = apples
Masa = cornmeal mush
Mayonesa = mayonnaise
Mazapan- Similar to marzipan, but made with peanuts or almonds
Menudo= soup made with innards
milanesa
mixiotes
Mole = generic name for a variety of sauces or dish using that sauce
Mole de Olla- Beef soup with chile
molletes
moronga
Mostaza = mustard
Nachos
Nopales- cactus paddles
Nopalitos = above, cut in pieces
Nuez = nuts
Nuez de Castilla = walnuts
Nuez Moscada = nutmeg
Palanquetas- Peanute Brittle
palomitas- popcorn
Panceta = bacon
Papas = potatoes
parilladas = grilled
Parmesano = Parmesan cheese
Pejelagarto asado - type of fish, grilled
Pescados=Fish
picadillo - small bits - like sloppy joes
Pico de gallo- small chopped pieces, like a relish
Pimienta = pepper (either black or white)
Pimiento Verde = green pepper
Pipian- Spicy sauce made with pumpkin seeds
Poc chuc - barbequed pork
Pollo = chicken
pollo asado - grilled chicken
pollo picado - pieces of chicken
pollo rostizado - roasted chicken
Pollo= chicken
pozole = soup with hominy
pulpa - pulp
pulpo- octopus
quesadillas - cooked tortilla sandwich
Ra�z de Apio = celery root/celeriac
Rajas = strips of peppers
Rajas con crema = pepper stips in cream
Res= beef
Ri��nes = kidneys
Romeritos- Tender rosemary-like green cooked in mole
Romero = rosemary
Rompope- Mexican eggnog
Sal = salt
Sal de Apio = celery salt
Salm�n Real = king salmon
Salm�n Rojo = red salmon
Salm�n Rosado = pink salmon
Salpicon de Res- Shredded beef salad
Salsa de Tomate = ketchup
Salsas= condiment or dip, sauce
Semilla de Apio = celery seed
Sincronizadas- Cheese and ham quesadillas
Sopa = usually small bits of pasta in broth
Sopes- Thick, deep fried tortilla filled with beans and meat
Taco - filled tortilla, eaten like a sandwich
Tamales = masa and filling wrapped in corn husks
T� = tea
T� Verde = green tea
Ternera = veal
Terr�n de Az�car = sugar cube
tocino=Bacon
Tortas Ahogadas- As above but dunked in salsa and served hot
Tortas- Sandwiches made with bolillos and assorted fillings
Tuna = fruit of the prickly pear cactus
Vainilla = vanilla
Vinagre de Malta = malt vinegar
Vinagre de Manzana = apple cider vinegar
Vinagre de Vino Tinto = red wine vinegar
Yuca= Cassava, Manioc
Zanahorias = Carrots
[quote="
Chef #928625"]here's some more terms :
aceitunas-olives
achiote/semillas de achiote-annatto seed usd more for coloring than flavor
aceite de achiote-a colored oil made from frying annatto seeds ,used in southern and yucatecan dishes more than in the north
ajonjoli/semillas de ajonjoli-sesame seeds
alambre-skewered meat,kebabs
a la plancha-cooked on a griddle
albahaca-basil
al vapor-steamed
almendras-almonds
antojos/antojitos-appetizers
atole-a thick drink made from fresh corn masa,milk or water,sweetened and usually flavored with cinnamon or fruit(sometimes made with oats instead of masa,in which case it's atole de avenas)
borrego-lamb
bacalao-salt cod,also a special salt cod dish prepared for christmas time
bunuelos-a donut like fritter covered in cinnamon sugar or dipped in a wine sauce
cacahuates-peanuts
cajeta-a very thick caramel similar to dulce de leche but usually prepared with goats milk
capirotada-a bread pudding made with fruit,nuts,cheese ,and sometimes tomatoes
carne de res-another word for beef
carne molida-ground meat
cebollina-scallions
chachitas-gizzards,usually fried and served with a sauce
chuleta de carnero-lamb chop
champurrado -a chocolate and cinnamon flavored atole
coctel vuelve a la vida-"return to life cocktail"-a seafood cocktail with a little bit of everything-shrimp,octopus,fish,squid...
comino-cumin
crema agria-sour cream
crema dulce-sweet cream(normal cream)
crema batida-whipped cream cueritos-pickled pig skins,often served on chicharrones
ejotes-green beans
esquintes-a snack of corn kernels with all the traditional condiments-mayonaise,chile,lime-served in a cup
estofada- a stewed dish,with lots of sauce ,but short of soup,often with olives ,served with rice
flor de jamaica-hibiscus flowers,which are steeped and sweetened to make agua de jamaica
fresas-strawberries
gelatina mosaica-a popular snack for kids,'mosaic gelatin' is made from many different colored gelatin,cut into cubes ,and suspended in cream or a white gelatin base
guisanos de maguey-maguey worms,fried
chilocuil-red maguey worms
meocuil-white maguey worms
helado-ice cream
hervido-boiled
higado-liver
hojas de laurel-bay leaves
hojas de aguacate-avocado leaves used to flavor many dishes
hoja santa- a licorice flavored leaf used to flavor fish,stews,and moles
horchata- a drink made by soaking rice in water or milk overnight ,then finely grinding it with almonds or walnuts and adding cinnamon and sugar
huevos estrellados-eggs,sunny side up
huevos revueltos-scrambled eggs
huevos divorciados-two eggs,fried and served with a red sauce on one side and a green sauce on the other,'divorced eggs'
huevos motulenos-a fried tortilla topped with refried black beans,fried eggs,red sauce,and decorated with ham,peas,and fried plantains
jamoncillo-a milk fudge with bits of dried fruit
langosta-lobster
licuado-smoothie or shake made with milk and fruit,also called 'batido'
maranitos-gingerbread cookies shaped like pigs
manzanilla-chamomile
miel-honey.also used for syrups
mondongo-same as menudo-tripe and a type of soup made from it
mojarra frita-unbattered fried tilapia
nata-another name for cream
desnatada-without cream(skimmed)as in leche desnatada-skimmed milk
natilla-a type of pudding
naranja-orange
ostiones-oysters
pasas de uva/pasitas-raisins
pastel de tres leches-tres lechescake
pepitas-pumpkin seeds,usually roasted
pato-duck
platanos/platanos machos-plantains
platanos fritos-fried plantains
maduros-very ripe plantains
platanos verdes-unripe green plantains
polvorones-a very crumbly spanish style cookie,from 'polvo'-dust
ponche-a hot fruit punch served for christmas
quelites-a type of mexican green ,cooked like spinach
queso fundido- very similar to chile con queso
queso asadero-a cheese made for grilling that holds its shape well
rabanos-radishes
rallado-grated
repollo-cabbage
sandia-watermelon
sopa seca-a rice or noodle dish so called (dry soup)because it starts out with a lot of water or broth,which gets absorbed in cooking
suiza(enchiladas a la suiza)-served with a creamy or white cheese sauce
telera-a roll,similar to bolillos
tepache-a fermented drimk made from pineapple rinds,sometimes naturally alcoholic or mixed with tequila
tlacoyos/tlayudas-a souther dish,these are very large,plate sized corn tortillas,sometimes stuffed with meat or cheese
totopos-corn chips
venado/carne de venado-deer,deer meat
xnipec-a yucatecan salsa made with lots of roasted habaneros
some other words:
alas/alita-wimgs
piernas-legs
pechuga-breast
cuellos-necks
muslos-thighs
claras(de huevo)-egg whites
yema(de huevo)-egg yolk
also a more correct term for cloves would be clavos de olor,as just clavos means 'nails'!
thanks,i hope somebody finds this helpful![/quote]
Molly53 wrote:
Kidneys: riñones (rin-YONE-es).
Veal: riñones de ternera
Lamb: riñones de borrego
Beef: riñones de res
Pork: riñones de cerdo.
Mama's Kitchen (Hope)
liz@411
Vseward (Chef~V)
*SimplyME*
Mami J
realbirdlady
(It's just more fun to say than pavo.)
CunSwim
Galley Wench
Molly53
