An Ottawa, Canada based cooking school specializing in authentic Mexican, Asian and International Ethnic Cookery

Hojas de Aguacate - Avocado Leaves

One of the lesser known flavours outside of Mexico is that of the Avocado Leaf. Mostly used in the southern areas of Puebla, Veracruz and Oaxaca, the leaves of the native avocado tree: Persea drymifolia are what give that delicious anise-like flavour to the famous black beans of Oaxaca. Ranging in size from 3 to 10 inches, they look like bay leaves on steroids! Grind them to a powder and add them to a pot of black beans, or use the leaves to flavour meat dishes. Because of their mild anise flavour, they can easily substitute Hoja Santa in any recipe. Outside of Mexico, avocado leaves are inexpensive and available dried mostly by mail order.

Cilantro – Coriandrum sativum

Cilantro, also known as Coriander or Chinese parsley, is one of the most important herbs in Mexican cuisine. It is an annual aromatic herb that’s native to the Mediterranean and Asia, and was brought by the Spanish when they colonized Mexico.

The word “coriander” comes from the Greek “koris", which means “bug". This herb is widely used in Mexico and Latin America and also in India, Asia and the Middle East. In India, its seeds are used as spice, and in Thailand, they use the whole plant: leaves, stems and roots.

In Mexico, cilantro is used fresh – chopped coarsely and added to salsas, used to garnish many platters and sprinkled on all manner of Antojitos. It will often be added as a final step to many cooked dishes, so as to preserve its pungent flavour.

Many people love the tangy lemony taste of cilantro, but others say it tastes like “soap” on their tongue. In my opinion, nothing wakes up a dish quite like cilantro!

You can freeze chopped cilantro, but it will lose most of its aroma and pungency. And, why bother? It’s readily available in the produce section of most supermarkets. To store fresh cilantro, try to always buy a bunch with its roots intact. Place in a jar with a couple of inches of water and cover the leaves in a plastic bag. It will keep in the fridge for 5-7 days.

Chile Ancho – Capsicum annuum

Chile Ancho (literally means wide chile) is the ripe Poblano chile which has been dried. A good Ancho chile will be still pliable - rather like fruit leather – and is triangular in shape. It’s got a dark reddish brown, wrinkled skin. Its flavour is like a mixture of raisins, prunes, tobacco and heat. They are the mildest of the dried chiles, but sometimes they can be quite hot!

Anchos are commonly roasted, rehydrated and then blended for salsas, or they can also be stuffed. They are available in powdered form as well.

Store your dried anchos in an airtight container, and if you are not going to use them fairly soon, you might consider storing them in the freezer.

Chile Jalapeño – Capsicum annuum

Probably the best known chile outside of Mexico, the Jalapeño hails from the town of Jalapa, capital of the gulf state of Veracruz.
The Jalapeño is bright green, sometimes with black patches, varying in shape from triangular to cylindrical with a slightly rounded tip, and it measures anywhere from 1 1/2 - 3 inches long.
The flesh is thick, crisp, and can range from medium to very hot. If the chile has been allowed to ripen on the plant it will be red, and it is used that way for making smoke-dried chipotles or moras.
Jalapeños are also used for pickling en escabeche, and are sold canned as such in many Latin markets and grocery stores.
These chiles are very versatile - they are used raw, blended or chopped and added to salsas, pickled with other vegetables, roasted and peeled for still other types of sauces or stuffed, breaded and deep fried.
Jalapeños can last up to one week wrapped in plastic in your crisper.


	In this page you will find descriptions of ingredients used in the recipes taught at The Cultural Kitchen. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at maria@theculturalkitchen.com.
	Hojas de Aguacate - Avocado Leaves One of the lesser known flavours outside of Mexico is that of the Avocado Leaf. Mostly used in the southern areas of Puebla, Veracruz and Oaxaca, the leaves of the native avocado tree: Persea drymifolia are what give that delicious anise-like flavour to the famous black beans of Oaxaca. Ranging in size from 3 to 10 inches, they look like bay leaves on steroids! Grind them to a powder and add them to a pot of black beans, or use the leaves to flavour meat dishes. Because of their mild anise flavour, they can easily substitute Hoja Santa in any recipe. Outside of Mexico, avocado leaves are inexpensive and available dried mostly by mail order. Cilantro – Coriandrum sativum Cilantro, also known as Coriander or Chinese parsley, is one of the most important herbs in Mexican cuisine. It is an annual aromatic herb that’s native to the Mediterranean and Asia, and was brought by the Spanish when they colonized Mexico. The word “coriander” comes from the Greek “koris", which means “bug". This herb is widely used in Mexico and Latin America and also in India, Asia and the Middle East. In India, its seeds are used as spice, and in Thailand, they use the whole plant: leaves, stems and roots. In Mexico, cilantro is used fresh – chopped coarsely and added to salsas, used to garnish many platters and sprinkled on all manner of Antojitos. It will often be added as a final step to many cooked dishes, so as to preserve its pungent flavour. Many people love the tangy lemony taste of cilantro, but others say it tastes like “soap” on their tongue. In my opinion, nothing wakes up a dish quite like cilantro! You can freeze chopped cilantro, but it will lose most of its aroma and pungency. And, why bother? It’s readily available in the produce section of most supermarkets. To store fresh cilantro, try to always buy a bunch with its roots intact. Place in a jar with a couple of inches of water and cover the leaves in a plastic bag. It will keep in the fridge for 5-7 days. Chile Ancho – Capsicum annuum Chile Ancho (literally means wide chile) is the ripe Poblano chile which has been dried. A good Ancho chile will be still pliable - rather like fruit leather – and is triangular in shape. It’s got a dark reddish brown, wrinkled skin. Its flavour is like a mixture of raisins, prunes, tobacco and heat. They are the mildest of the dried chiles, but sometimes they can be quite hot! Anchos are commonly roasted, rehydrated and then blended for salsas, or they can also be stuffed. They are available in powdered form as well. Store your dried anchos in an airtight container, and if you are not going to use them fairly soon, you might consider storing them in the freezer. Chile Jalapeño – Capsicum annuum Probably the best known chile outside of Mexico, the Jalapeño hails from the town of Jalapa, capital of the gulf state of Veracruz. The Jalapeño is bright green, sometimes with black patches, varying in shape from triangular to cylindrical with a slightly rounded tip, and it measures anywhere from 1 1/2 - 3 inches long. The flesh is thick, crisp, and can range from medium to very hot. If the chile has been allowed to ripen on the plant it will be red, and it is used that way for making smoke-dried chipotles or moras. Jalapeños are also used for pickling en escabeche, and are sold canned as such in many Latin markets and grocery stores. These chiles are very versatile - they are used raw, blended or chopped and added to salsas, pickled with other vegetables, roasted and peeled for still other types of sauces or stuffed, breaded and deep fried. Jalapeños can last up to one week wrapped in plastic in your crisper.		Aguacate - Avocado - Persea Americana The Aguacate is a pear-shaped fruit native to Mexico and Central and South America. The word aguacate comes from the Aztec “ahuacatl”. Avocados have been growing in Mexico for hundreds of years, although not until recent years have they become popular and widely available. There are several varieties of aguacates in Mexico, but the most popular (both in and out of the country) is the Hass avocado, widely grown in the southern state of Michoacán. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat and vitamins B6, C and E, potassium, magnesium, folate, dietary fibre and riboflavin. They have a light yellow to green flesh that’s buttery, nutty and rich. I recommend that when you buy avocados, you get them 5-7 days in advance. Buy them green and hard as rock. Let them ripen on your fruit bowl on the counter for 2-3 days, and when their skin starts to turn dark, place them in the fridge. At this point, they will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. Avocados are ripe when slight pressure yields to the touch. If you need to ripen the avocados in a hurry, place them in a paper bag (this locks in the ethylene gas they emit, thus ripening them faster), along with an apple or a banana. Chile Mora - Capsicum annuum The Chile Mora is a small Jalapeño chile that has been dried and smoked. When it's dried it takes on this deep purple colour, thus giving it its name. In different parts of Mexico, it goes by different names, like Chipotle Morita or Chile Morita. Dried chiles moras are available in Canada in Latin or specialty stores, but they are also canned in Adobo and becoming very popular as an addition to barbecue sauces and as a way to boost the flavour of assorted dishes. Chiles moras have a smoky sweet chocolate smell and are very hot. They become soft and fleshy when rehydrated. You can then use them to flavour salsas or stews. Store your dried chiles moras in an airtight container, and if you are not going to use them fairly soon, you might consider storing them in the freezer. Chile de Árbol – Capsicum annuum Hardly ever found in the fresh form, this slender, pointed, smooth-skinned chile measures about 3 inches long and 3/8" wide at the crown. This little chile is extremely hot and it is mostly used for making very spicy table salsas and for grinding into a powder form to spice up fruits and vegetables. The flavour of this chile is released when toasted. Sometimes it is fried and added to beans or stews or crumbled into chilies. Chiles de árbol are readily available in specialty and Latin markets, either in dried or powdered form. They will last months if they are stored properly: powdered chile should be stored in a sealed glass jar and the dried form is best stored in the freezer. Pimiento del Padrón – Capsicum annuum As its name implies, this little chile comes from the area of Padrón (Galicia, Spain). It ranges from 1 1/2" to 3" and it can be blunt or pointy at the tip and is slightly ridged. It is always eaten green and fresh. 10 out of 100 can be quite hot, but otherwise it's mild, with a slightly bitter undertone. This little pepper is not widely grown outside of Spain, so it's very nice if you can find it in your local market. The best way to eat it is as a "Tapa" or appetizer, fried lightly in a bit of olive oil and served with a bit of coarse salt on top.