Mexican cuisine

thumb|Chocolate bars in dark, white, and milk variants (top to bottom). Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cocoa beans that can be a liquid, solid, or paste, either by itself or to flavor other foods. Cocoa beans are the processed seeds of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao). They are usually fermented to develop the flavor, then dried, cleaned, and roasted. The shell is removed to reveal nibs, which are ground to chocolate liquor (unadulterated chocolate in rough form.) The liquor can be processed to separate its two components, cocoa solids and cocoa butter, or shaped and sold as

The papaya (, ), papaw, () or pawpaw () is the plant species Carica papaya, one of the 21 accepted species in the genus Carica of the family Caricaceae. Papaya is also the name of its fruit. It was first domesticated in Mesoamerica, within modern-day southern Mexico and Central America. It is grown in several countries in regions with a tropical climate. In 2024, India was the leading producer, accounting for 36% of the world total.

species of plant

fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae

Amaranthus is a genus of plants commonly known as amaranths. Some species are known by variants of the common name "pigweed". Some members are annual and others are perennial. The plant can grow from tall with a succulent, hollow stem. Parts of the plant vary from green to reddish. Catkin-like cymes of densely packed flowers grow in the summer or fall.

Soursop (also called graviola, guyabano, and in Hispanic America '''') is the fruit of Annona muricata, a broadleaf, flowering, evergreen tree. It is native to the tropical Americas and is widely propagated. It is in the same genus, Annona'', as cherimoya and is in the Annonaceae family.

A taco (, , ) is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of a small hand-sized corn- or wheat-based tortilla topped with a filling. The tortilla is then folded around the filling and eaten by hand. A taco can be made with a variety of fillings, including beef, pork, chicken, seafood, beans, vegetables, and cheese, and garnished with various condiments, such as salsa, guacamole, or sour cream, and vegetables, such as lettuce, coriander, onion, tomatoes, and chiles. Tacos are a common form of antojitos, or Mexican street food, which have spread around the world.

Chayote (; previously placed in the obsolete genus Sechium, now in the genus Sicyos, as Sicyos edulis), also known as christophine, mirliton, güisquil, and choko, is an edible plant belonging to the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. This fruit was first cultivated in Mesoamerica between southern Mexico and Honduras, with the most genetic diversity available in both Mexico and Guatemala. It is one among dozens of foods introduced to the Old World during the Columbian Exchange. At that time, the plant spread to other parts of the Americas, ultimately causing it to be integrated into the cuisine of ma

Guacamole (), sometimes informally shortened to guac in the United States, is an avocado-based dip, spread, or salad first developed in Mexico. In addition to its use in modern Mexican cuisine, it has become part of international cuisine as a dip, condiment, and salad ingredient.

sausage filled with blood that are cooked or dried and mixed with a filler until they are thick enough to congeal when cooled

thumb|Guava with slice thumb|right|Ripe apple guavas (Psidium guajava)

Opuntia, commonly called the prickly pear cactus, is a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae, many known for their flavorful fruit and showy flowers. Cacti are native to the Americas, and are well adapted to arid climates; however, they are still vulnerable to alterations in precipitation and temperature driven by climate change. The plant has been introduced to Australia, southern Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Africa.

upright|thumb|right|Vanilla planifolia, flower upright|thumb|right|Dried vanilla beans

A burrito (, ) or burro in Mexico is, historically, a regional name, among others, for what is known as a taco, a tortilla filled with food, in other parts of the country. The term burrito was regional, specifically from Guanajuato, Guerrero, Michoacán, San Luis Potosí, Sonora and Sinaloa, for what is known as a taco in Mexico City and surrounding areas, and codzito in Yucatán and Quintana Roo. Due to the cultural influence of Mexico City, the term taco became the default, and the meaning of terms like burrito and codzito were forgotten, leading many people to create new meanings and folk hist

A tortilla (, ) is a thin, circular unleavened flatbread from Mesoamerica originally made from masa, and now also from wheat flour.

banana cultivars commonly used in cooking

culinary traditions of Mexico

Nachos are a Tex-Mex dish consisting of tortilla chips or totopos covered with cheese or chile con queso, as well as a variety of other toppings and garnishes, often including meats (such as ground beef or grilled chicken), vegetables (such as chili peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, and olives), and condiments such as salsa, guacamole, or sour cream. At its most basic form, nachos may consist of merely chips covered with melted cheese (usually cheddar or American cheese), or cheese sauce and served as an appetizer or snack, while other versions are substantial enough to serve as a main course. The d

salad of romaine lettuce and croutons

Dutch cheese

American stew

species of plant

species of plant

An empanada is a type of baked or fried turnover consisting of pastry and filling, common in Spain, Portugal, other Southern European countries, North African countries, West African countries (where they are known as meatpies in Nigeria), South Asian countries, Latin American countries, and the Philippines. The name comes from the Spanish (to bread, i.e., to coat with bread), and translates as 'breaded', that is, wrapped or coated in bread. They are made by folding dough over a filling, which may consist of meat, cheese, tomato, corn, or other ingredients, and then cooking the resulting turno

The jalapeño ( , ) is a medium-sized chili pepper pod type cultivar of the species Capsicum annuum. A mature jalapeño chili is long and wide, and hangs down from the plant. The pungency of jalapeño peppers varies, but is usually between 4,000 and 8,500 units on the Scoville scale. Commonly picked and consumed while still green, it is occasionally allowed to fully ripen and turn red, orange, or yellow. It is wider and generally milder than the similar Serrano pepper.

sweet confection

Ceviche, cebiche, sebiche, or seviche is a cold dish consisting of fish or shellfish marinated in citrus and seasonings. Different versions of ceviche are part of the culinary cultures of various Latin American countries along the Pacific Ocean where each one is native, including Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru. Ceviche is considered the national dish of Peru and is recognized by UNESCO as an expression of Peruvian traditional cuisine and an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

A tamale is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa, a dough made from nixtamalized corn, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaves. The wrapping can either be discarded prior to eating or used as a plate. Tamales can be filled with meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, herbs, chilies, or any preparation according to taste, and both the filling and the cooking liquid may be seasoned.

thumb|How to make a cheese quesadilla

species of bird

An enchilada (, ) is a Mexican dish consisting of a corn tortilla rolled around a filling and covered with a savory sauce. Enchiladas can be filled with various ingredients, including meats, cheese, beans, potatoes, vegetables, or combinations. Enchilada sauces include chili-based sauces, such as salsa roja, various moles, tomato-based sauces, such as salsa verde, or cheese-based sauces, such as chile con queso.

dairy product produced by fermenting a regular cream with certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria

Kibbeh (, also kubba and other spellings; ; ) is a popular dish in the Arab world and the Levant in particular, made of spiced lean ground meat and bulgur wheat. Kibbeh is considered to be a national dish of Lebanon and Syria.

thumb|Physalis ixocarpa – MHNT

species of edible fungus

A fajita (; ), in Tex-Mex cuisine, is strips of grilled skirt steak, cooked with sauteed onions and bell peppers and served on a flour or corn tortilla. Popular alternatives to skirt steak include chicken and other cuts of beef, as well as vegetables instead of meat. Popular condiments include shredded lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, refried beans, and diced tomatoes. "Tacos de arrachera" is applied to the northern Mexican variant of the dish.

The habanero (; ) is a pungent cultivar of Capsicum chinense chili pepper. Unripe habaneros are green, and they color as they mature. The most common color variants are orange and red, but the fruit may also be white, brown, yellow, green, or purple. Typically, a ripe habanero is long. Habanero chilis are very hot, rated 100,000–350,000 on the Scoville scale. The habanero's heat, flavor, and floral aroma make it a common ingredient in hot sauces and other spicy foods.

Cornbread is a quick bread made with cornmeal, popular in the cuisine of the Southern United States, with origins in Native American cuisine. It is an example of batter bread. Dumplings and pancakes made with finely ground cornmeal are staple foods of the Hopi people in Arizona. The Hidatsa people of the Upper Midwest call baked cornbread naktsi, while the Choctaw people of the Southeast call it bvnaha. The Cherokee and Seneca tribes enrich the basic batter, adding chestnuts, sunflower seeds, apples, or berries, and sometimes combine it with beans or potatoes. Modern versions of cornbread are

thumbnail|upright=1.00|Examples of modern Tex-Mex dishes and ingredients including corn, [[tortilla chips, cheese, tacos, salsa, chilis, and beef dishes.]]

liver meat used as food

genus of insects

species of tree native to Mexico and Central America

Mexican condiment

A chipotle ( , ), or chilpotle, is a smoke-dried ripe jalapeño chili pepper used for seasoning. It is used primarily in Mexican and Mexican-inspired cuisines, such as Tex-Mex and Southwestern United States dishes. It comes in different forms, such as chipotles en adobo (stewed in adobo sauce).

snack food made from fried or baked corn tortilla wedges

dish involving filling the cavities of a pepper with other food

' (), (), soffritto (), (), () or ' () typically consists of aromatic ingredients cut into small pieces and sautéed or braised in cooking oil for a long period of time over a low heat, then used as a foundation for a variety of dishes. It is a basic preparation in Mediterranean and Latin American cooking.

cod which has been preserved by drying after salting

regional delicacy in Cambodia

__NOTOC__ thumb|Escabeche of tilapia, from the [[Philippines]]

seeds of pumpkins and similar curcurbits

thumb|right|—smoked, ripe jalapeño peppers in thumb|right|Peruvian chicken made from dried (yellow lantern chili, Capsicum chinense) ' or ' (Spanish: marinade, sauce, or seasoning) is the immersion of food in a stock (or sauce) composed variously of paprika, oregano, salt, garlic, and vinegar to preserve and enhance its flavor. The Portuguese variant is known as . The practice, native to Iberia (Spanish and Portuguese cuisine), was widely adopted in Latin America, as well as Spanish and Portuguese colonies in Africa and Asia.

A chimichanga ( , ) is a deep-fried burrito that is common in Tex-Mex and other Southwestern U.S. cuisine. The dish is typically prepared by filling a flour tortilla with various ingredients, most commonly rice, cheese, beans, and a meat, such as machaca (chopped or shredded meat), carne adobada (marinated meat), carne seca (dried beef), or shredded chicken, and folding it into a rectangular package. It is then deep-fried, and can be accompanied by salsa, guacamole, or sour cream.

dish containing cooked beans in sauce, usually tomato-flavoured

type of offal

species of fish

sweetener

Chilaquiles () are a traditional Mexican breakfast dish made with tortillas.

cow tongue used as food

Hallaca (, ) is a traditional Venezuelan dish. Its origin is indigenous, but raisins, capers, olives, and sometimes bits of bacon were added in the 16th Century and after by settlers from the Iberian peninsula. Hallaca consists of corn dough stuffed with a stew of beef, pork, or chicken and other ingredients such as raisins, capers, and olives, fresh onion rings, red and green bell pepper slices. There are vegetarian hallacas, made with black beans or tofu. Hallacas are folded in plantain leaves, tied with strings, and boiled. The dish is traditionally served during the Christmas season and ha