Mexican food guides
What is huitlacoche? Where does mole poblano come from? We answer the most common questions about Mexican dishes and ingredients, with history, origin and recipes to cook them at home.
- Guide
Oaxacan memelas: what they are and how to make them
Memelas are Oaxacan antojitos of maize masa cooked on a comal and spread with pork asiento, refried beans, salsa, fresh cheese and coriander. A living pre-Hispanic…
- Guide
Oaxacan mole negro: what it is, ingredients and recipe
Discover Oaxacan black mole, the most complex of the seven moles of Oaxaca, with chilhuacle negro, chocolate and more than 30 traditional ingredients.
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Oaxacan mole rojo: what's in it, recipe and secrets
Discover Oaxacan red mole, a traditional dish with red chilhuacle, ancho, mulato and spices, one of the seven emblematic Oaxacan moles.
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Oaxacan mole verde: what's in it, taste and how to make it
Learn about Oaxacan green mole, made with miltomate, hoja santa, parsley, epazote, mint and fresh green chillies, one of the seven Oaxacan moles.
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Oaxacan pasilla: what it is, heat and uses in mole
The Oaxacan pasilla or pasilla mixe is a smoked chilli endemic to the Oaxacan sierra, the base of mole negro and pasilla salsa. Discover its flavour and origin.
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Oaxacan tamales: what they are and how they're made
Discover Oaxacan tamales, wrapped in banana leaf with maize masa, chicken and mole negro, an emblematic ceremonial dish of the Oaxacan repertoire.
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Oaxacan tlayuda: what it is, history and how to prepare the giant tortilla
What a tlayuda is, its origin in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, ingredients (asiento, beans, tasajo, quesillo) and how it differs from a taco or Mexican pizza.
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Obleas con cajeta: what they are, origin and recipe
Wafers with cajeta are discs of Host-style wafer filled with burnt cajeta, a traditional sweet of the Mexican Bajio and an emblem of the confectionery of Celaya and…
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Oreja de cantaria: what it is and where the mushroom grows
The oreja de cantaria (Pleurotus djamor) is a wild oyster mushroom of Mexican tropical forests, known for its gilled shape and characteristic pinkish colour.
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Palanqueta: what it is and how the Mexican sweet is made
Palanqueta: a traditional Mexican sweet of peanuts, seeds or walnut with piloncillo or caramelised honey. A simple recipe from central Mexico.
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Paloma: what's in the cocktail, recipe and origin
Paloma: a classic Mexican cocktail of tequila, grapefruit soda, lime juice and salt on the rim. Jalisco origin and traditional recipe.
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Pambazos: what they are, origin and how to make them
The pambazo is a Mexico City street torta made with white bread dipped in guajillo chilli salsa, filled with potato and chorizo, lettuce, cheese and cream. An unmissable…
- Guide
Pan de muerto: what it is, symbolism and regional types
Pan de muerto is the ceremonial bread of the Day of the Dead in Mexico: a circular shape with decorative bones and tears, flavoured with orange blossom and aniseed.
- Guide
Pancita: what it is, recipe and how it differs from menudo
Pancita is the Mexico City menudo: beef tripe broth with guajillo or ancho chilli mole, epazote and no hominy. It is sold in tianguis and markets of CDMX.
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Panuchos: what they are and how to make them
Panuchos are Yucatecan antojitos: puffed tortillas filled with strained black bean, fried and topped with cochinita pibil or turkey, pickled red onion and avocado.
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Panza de ratón: what it is, taste and how to cook it
The panza de ratón (Lycoperdon perlatum) is a wild edible mushroom of the Mexican highlands, gathered while tender in the pine forests of Puebla, Tlaxcala and Hidalgo.
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Papadzules: what they are, Yucatecan origin and recipe
Papadzules are maize tortillas filled with chopped boiled egg and bathed in pumpkin-seed sauce, an emblematic dish of Yucatecan Maya cuisine.
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Pápalo: what it is, taste and uses in Puebla cooking
Pápalo (Porophyllum macrocephalum) is a raw aromatic Puebla herb with a flavour of strong coriander and rue, essential in cemitas, tlacoyos and broths.
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Papaloquelite: what it is, taste and uses in cemitas
Papaloquelite (Porophyllum ruderale) is an aromatic herb of Puebla cuisine, fresh and intensely scented, essential in cemitas, tlacoyos and tacos.
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Papaya: what it is, benefits, varieties and how to eat it
The papaya (Carica papaya) is a tropical fruit native to Mesoamerica with sweet orange flesh; Mexico is one of the world's leading exporters.
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Paradito chilli: what it is, heat and uses in salsas
Discover the paradito chilli, a wild variety of north-west Mexico related to the chiltepin, the base of northern salsas and sierra pickles.
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Pasilla chilli: what it is, heat, uses and substitutes
Chile pasilla is the dried chilaca, the base of black mole, salsa borracha and adobos. Learn its flavour, heat and differences with other dried chillies.
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Pepitas: what they are, benefits and uses in cooking
Discover pepitas (pumpkin seeds), pre-Hispanic seeds at the base of pipianes, sikil pak and sweets. Varieties, nutritional value and uses in Mexico.
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Pepito: what it is and what's in the Mexico City torta
The pepito is a Mexican torta of toasted telera bread with griddled steak, melted cheese, avocado and chillies. A speciality of Mexico City torta shops.
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Pepitorias: what they are and how to make the sweet
Pepitorias are sweet wafers of toasted pumpkin seeds and piloncillo caramel, a typical sweet of central Mexico and a pre-Hispanic legacy fused with convent tradition.
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Pib: what the Maya earth oven is and how it's used
Discover the pib, the Maya earth oven: how it is dug, heated with stones and used to cook cochinita pibil, mucbipollo and tamales in banana leaves.
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Pichancha: what it is and its role in making nixtamal
Meet the pichancha: a perforated clay vessel for draining nixtamal before grinding. A pre-Hispanic utensil at the heart of Mexico's maize cookery.
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Piñuela: what it is, taste and uses of the fruit
The piñuela (Bromelia pinguin) is the fruit of a wild bromeliad of south-eastern Mexico, bittersweet and aromatic. Used in refreshing drinks, atoles and traditional…
- Guide
Pipicha: what it is, taste and uses in cooking
Pipicha (Porophyllum tagetoides) is an aromatic Oaxacan herb with slender leaves and a citrus-aniseed aroma, essential in chileatoles and corn dishes.
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Piquín chilli: what it is, taste, heat and uses
The piquín chilli is a small, very hot wild chilli, the base of chilli powder and traditional salsas. Discover its flavour, habitat and uses.