Seasoning beyond chiles
Chiles dominate the discussion of Mexican flavor, but a handful of other seasonings do a lot of quiet work. Some are native to the Americas, while others arrived through Spanish trade and became part of local cooking. The line between them has blurred over centuries, and many dishes combine both. Use of each seasoning varies widely by region and household, so what follows describes common patterns rather than rules.
Mexican oregano
Mexican oregano is generally not the same plant as the Mediterranean herb. The common Mexican type is usually Lippia graveolens, in the verbena family, while Mediterranean oregano is a mint-family plant, Origanum vulgare. Mexican oregano tends to taste more citrusy and earthy, with a slightly floral edge, while the Mediterranean version is sweeter and more peppery. Both are called oregano, which is why the distinction is worth knowing.
It is usually sold dried, and it is added to bean pots, stews, pozole, salsas, adobos and meat marinades. Crumbling it between your fingers or toasting it briefly in a dry pan releases more aroma. Mediterranean oregano can substitute in small amounts, though the flavor will be different.
Cumin
Cumin is an Old World spice that came with the Spanish and quickly became part of local cooking. The pairing of cumin and oregano appears in many recipes, particularly in the north, in the Yucatan peninsula and in some meat and bean dishes. Cumin is earthy, warm and slightly bitter, and it is potent. Used lightly, it adds depth; used heavily, it can dominate. Whole seeds toasted and freshly ground have more aroma than pre-ground powder, which loses flavor on the shelf.
Cinnamon (canela)
The cinnamon sold in Mexico is typically the soft, flaky, pale brown bark often called Ceylon cinnamon, not the harder, darker cassia common in some other countries. It is brittle and can be crushed or ground easily, and its flavor is milder, more floral and less sharp. It appears in many sweet preparations, like rice horchata, hot chocolate and coffee flavored in the style of cafe de olla, as well as in capirotada and fruit dishes. It is also used in moles, where it adds warmth rather than sweetness. If you use cassia instead, reduce the amount.
Clove, allspice and black pepper
Clove (clavo) is powerful and is used sparingly, often in a handful of whole cloves simmered in syrup or stock, or ground in small amounts into moles and adobos. Allspice (pimienta gorda), the dried berry of a tree native to Mexico and Central America, tastes like a blend of clove, cinnamon and pepper and appears in recados, stews and pickles. Black pepper, also an introduced spice, completes the group. These “warm” spices often appear together in sauces such as mole, where they mingle with chiles, nuts and seeds.
Achiote
Achiote, or annatto, is the red seed of a tree native to the tropical Americas. The seeds have a mild, earthy, slightly peppery flavor and mainly provide color, a brick-red to orange tint. In the Yucatan, the seeds are ground with other spices, such as allspice, cumin, oregano and garlic, and mixed with sour orange or vinegar to make a paste called recado rojo. This paste is the traditional seasoning for pit-roasted or slow-cooked meats, including cochinita pibil. Cooks in other regions also use it in rice, stews and marinades. A reminder: pastes sold in blocks can be very hard, so dissolve them in warm liquid. The seeds themselves are hard and stain fabric and plastic, so grind them in a dedicated grinder if possible.
Annatto is widely used as a food coloring, and a few people have reported sensitivity to it. If that applies to you, check labels.
Epazote
Epazote is a pungent herb with a strong, medicinal and slightly gasoline-like aroma that surprises some newcomers. In small quantities it adds a distinctive flavor to bean pots, quesadillas, soups and mushroom or corn dishes. It is traditionally added to beans partly for flavor and partly because cooks say it helps with digestion, though evidence for that is limited. Use it fresh when possible, since the dried herb loses much of its character. Large amounts of epazote should be avoided, and anyone who is pregnant or has a health concern should ask a qualified professional before consuming it in large quantities or as a tea.
Other common aromatics
Garlic, white onion, cilantro, bay leaf, thyme and marjoram are also part of the standard seasoning set. They are mentioned elsewhere in the pantry overview, and they are used for building flavor in broths, rice and sauces.
Toasting, grinding and storing
- Toast whole spices for a short time in a dry pan until fragrant, then cool and grind them in a mortar, a molcajete mortar or a spice grinder.
- Buy small quantities and store them in sealed jars away from heat and light.
- Ground spices fade within months; whole spices last longer.
- Taste as you go. Strong spices such as clove and cumin are easy to overdo and hard to correct.
Putting it together
A simple bean pot might use only onion, garlic and epazote. A northern stew may rely on cumin, oregano and dried chiles. A Yucatecan marinade leans on achiote and citrus, and a Oaxacan mole may include cinnamon, clove and allspice in careful balance. The same seasonings, in different proportions, create very different results.