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

Epazote - Dysphania ambroisoides

Epazote is also known as Wormseed, Jesuit's Tea or Mexican Tea. It is an herb native to Mexico, Central, and South America.

The plant grows up to a metre high, and it can become invasive in your garden taking over like a weed.

The flavour of fresh epazote is quite pungent and hard to describe. I often say it's got the aroma of turpentine, but could also be compared to camphor, fennel and tarragon, only ten times stronger.

The fresh leaves are used in Mexican cooking traditionally with bean dishes, as it reduces the gassy effect of these legumes. They are also used in quesadillas and to flavour soups and moles. In Canada, epazote is found mostly in the dried form, either in flakes or powder, but if you're a gardener, try growing it in your herb plot. It is easy to grow and is pretty hardy.

Chile Poblano – Capsicum annuum

The poblano chile originates in the State of Puebla, Mexico. One of the most popular chiles grown in Mexico, it is about three to six inches long and about two to three inches wide. Poblanos are often mild, but sometimes they can pack quite a bit of heat.

Poblanos can be prepared a number of ways. They are particularly popular during the Mexican independence festivities in the dish called "Chiles en Nogada" which incorporates green, white and red ingredients corresponding to the colors of the Mexican flag: the green of the chile, the white of the walnut cream sauce and the red of the pomegranate seeds.

Poblanos are almost always roasted and peeled, since the skin is a bit tough. Most often, they are stuffed with "picadillo" or cheese, and sometimes coated in egg batter and fried, or simply served on a pool of salsa. They are also used for "rajas", cut into strips and added to other dishes, or blended into a puree to flavour soups, rice or pasta dishes.

When the poblano is dried, it becomes the broad, flat, heart-shaped pod called ancho chile, the mildest of the dried chiles, often ground into a powder used for flavoring recipes, or re-hydrated and blended into salsas or moles.

Capers - Capparis spinosa L.

The caper bush is native to the Mediterranean and grows wild on walls or rocky coastal regions. The caper bud is picked and then either pickled in brine or stored in salt. The larger fruits are known as caper berries.

Capers are used extensively in Italian cuisine, especially in Sicily and Puglia, where they feature in many of their dishes.

The Greeks use the leaves of the bush in their cuisine as well, pickling them and then storing them in brine. They are used in salads and fish dishes.

Amaranto - Amaranthus

Also known as pigweed, amaranth is valued around the world for its grain, its spinach-like leaf and as an ornamental plant.
The ancient Aztecs in Mexico used it in ceremonies to fashion images of their gods - made from a mixture of amaranth and honey - the precursor of the present-day "alegria" candy, made with amaranth and honey or chocolate.
In ancient times, amaranth was one of the four items considered acceptable tribute for the Aztecs, the other three being corn, beans and chia. The tiny grains contain up to 87% of nutritional requirements, providing high quality protein and nearly perfect balance of amino acids.
Amaranth leaves are what we call "quelites", and they are used in many dishes traditional to south-central Mexico.
The grains can be cooked like rice or quinoa, and they can be popped like poporn to be used as cereal. You can find it in many health food stores.

Chile Habanero - Capsicum chinense Jacquin

One of the hottest chiles in the world, habanero chiles originated in the southern Mexican state of Yucatán and its coastal regions.
Habaneros feature in most Yucatecan dishes, either whole or in salsas. They have also become very popular worldwide and are key ingredient of many bottled commercial salsas.
Despite the chile habanero's heat (200,000-300,000 Scoville Heat Units), it's got a fruity citrus-like flavour and a floral aroma.
Habaneros have been recently given a "DO" (Denominación de Origen, or Denomination of Origin), which protects the chile as a product of that specific geographical region.

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.

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.

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.


	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.
	Epazote - Dysphania ambroisoides Epazote is also known as Wormseed, Jesuit's Tea or Mexican Tea. It is an herb native to Mexico, Central, and South America. The plant grows up to a metre high, and it can become invasive in your garden taking over like a weed. The flavour of fresh epazote is quite pungent and hard to describe. I often say it's got the aroma of turpentine, but could also be compared to camphor, fennel and tarragon, only ten times stronger. The fresh leaves are used in Mexican cooking traditionally with bean dishes, as it reduces the gassy effect of these legumes. They are also used in quesadillas and to flavour soups and moles. In Canada, epazote is found mostly in the dried form, either in flakes or powder, but if you're a gardener, try growing it in your herb plot. It is easy to grow and is pretty hardy. Chile Poblano – Capsicum annuum The poblano chile originates in the State of Puebla, Mexico. One of the most popular chiles grown in Mexico, it is about three to six inches long and about two to three inches wide. Poblanos are often mild, but sometimes they can pack quite a bit of heat. Poblanos can be prepared a number of ways. They are particularly popular during the Mexican independence festivities in the dish called "Chiles en Nogada" which incorporates green, white and red ingredients corresponding to the colors of the Mexican flag: the green of the chile, the white of the walnut cream sauce and the red of the pomegranate seeds. Poblanos are almost always roasted and peeled, since the skin is a bit tough. Most often, they are stuffed with "picadillo" or cheese, and sometimes coated in egg batter and fried, or simply served on a pool of salsa. They are also used for "rajas", cut into strips and added to other dishes, or blended into a puree to flavour soups, rice or pasta dishes. When the poblano is dried, it becomes the broad, flat, heart-shaped pod called ancho chile, the mildest of the dried chiles, often ground into a powder used for flavoring recipes, or re-hydrated and blended into salsas or moles. Capers - Capparis spinosa L. The caper bush is native to the Mediterranean and grows wild on walls or rocky coastal regions. The caper bud is picked and then either pickled in brine or stored in salt. The larger fruits are known as caper berries. Capers are used extensively in Italian cuisine, especially in Sicily and Puglia, where they feature in many of their dishes. The Greeks use the leaves of the bush in their cuisine as well, pickling them and then storing them in brine. They are used in salads and fish dishes. Amaranto - Amaranthus Also known as pigweed, amaranth is valued around the world for its grain, its spinach-like leaf and as an ornamental plant. The ancient Aztecs in Mexico used it in ceremonies to fashion images of their gods - made from a mixture of amaranth and honey - the precursor of the present-day "alegria" candy, made with amaranth and honey or chocolate. In ancient times, amaranth was one of the four items considered acceptable tribute for the Aztecs, the other three being corn, beans and chia. The tiny grains contain up to 87% of nutritional requirements, providing high quality protein and nearly perfect balance of amino acids. Amaranth leaves are what we call "quelites", and they are used in many dishes traditional to south-central Mexico. The grains can be cooked like rice or quinoa, and they can be popped like poporn to be used as cereal. You can find it in many health food stores. Chile Habanero - Capsicum chinense Jacquin One of the hottest chiles in the world, habanero chiles originated in the southern Mexican state of Yucatán and its coastal regions. Habaneros feature in most Yucatecan dishes, either whole or in salsas. They have also become very popular worldwide and are key ingredient of many bottled commercial salsas. Despite the chile habanero's heat (200,000-300,000 Scoville Heat Units), it's got a fruity citrus-like flavour and a floral aroma. Habaneros have been recently given a "DO" (Denominación de Origen, or Denomination of Origin), which protects the chile as a product of that specific geographical region. 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. 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. 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.