Mexican Food Encyclopedia

Cassia

is the bark of the cassia tree which is a close relative of the Cinnamon tree. However, cassia is much milder than its cinnamon cousin.

Cassia

is the bark of the cassia tree which is a close relative of the Cinnamon tree. However, cassia is much milder than its cinnamon cousin.

Chakra

Phool-Indian Star Anise

Chakra

Phool-Indian Star Anise

Chironji

Indian charoli.

Chironji

Indian charoli.

Choti

Elaichi-Indian Cardamon.

Choti

Elaichi-Indian Cardamon.

Capers

are round berries that come from the caper plant. The caper plant is a low-lying shrub that grows in a creeping manner. The flower buds of the caper plant are harvested before opening and pickled in salt and vinegar to become Capers. Capers have a salty, acidic taste, resembling "pickled green olives." They are good in salads and excellent with tomatoes, with meat, with fish, and poultry. Capers are a must for traditional Spanish, Portuguese and Italian cooking.

Caraway Seed

is the dried fruit of Carum Carvi. The fruit must be picked early in the morning before the sun reaches it, otherwise the heads blow up and scatter the seeds rather explosively when dry. Caraway has a sweet, spicy, fresh, and slightly minty aroma. For the most part, caraway is said to lighten up the flavor of heavy foods like spareribs, roast goose, pork, mutton, and other hearty meat dishes. Caraway is also used in baked goods like breads, pie crusts, and sauces. Try it in cheese spreads, omelets, coleslaw, cooked pastas, rye bread, rice, soups, and salad dressing. Caraway is excellent for decorating foods.

Cardamom

is a bushy perennial shrub of the ginger family, which bears fruits in pods. The seeds are unusually and exotically aromatic, pungent, and spicy with a flavor that is sweet. Cardamom is appealing when it is used to flavor such items as grape jellies, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, winter squash, carrots, apple and pumpkin pies, hard sauces, citrus fruit sauces, cookies, coffee cakes, beef, lamb, pork, chicken, and veal dishes.

Carum Seeds

or Ajowan are related to caraway and cumin seeds and used primarily in Indian cuisine. The taste has a hint of thyme. Ajowan seeds are often boiled in water and this liquid is given to treat upset stomachs.

Cayenne

is actually a pepper, which is a fruit or berry from the capsicum, or chili, family. Cayenne is one of the strongest of chilies and is sold industrially by its heat content or "heat units" rather than by its name. Many claim that cayenne is the secret of many "hot massage oils" or "sports rubs". Chef Merito Cayenne is a superb quality. Like most chilies, it is high in Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6 and Vitamin C. It also contains folic acid, cobalt, capsaicin, apsicine, capsacutin, pantothenic acid and zinc. It acts as a catalyst for other herbs and spices so it is a good addition to other flavorings in foods. Many claim it is good to alleviate pain when applied topically. Many also claim it helps digestion and improve circulation.

Celery Seed

is the dried seed of smallage, which is a wild variety of celery. Celery Seed is not similar to the edible stalks that we are familiar with. Celery Seed can be used in any dish that calls for the flavor of celery, especially when the use of real stalks would be impractical. Celery Seed can be used in a variety of vegetable juices, pea soup, chicken and turkey soups, coleslaw, pickles, scrambled eggs and omelets, chicken and tuna casseroles, salads and salad dressing, seafood chowders, and sandwich spreads. Chef Merito Celery Seed is excellent in Bloody Mary mixes and to create your own seasoning salt. Celery has a long history of use as an aphrodisiac. It contains vitamins A, C, B, P and minerals. It is excellent for the muscles and liquefies the blood. But most celebrated as an aphrodisiac are the celery seeds. Crush them to spice bread or an oil-vinegar salad dressing.

Chervil

is a small, fine-leafed, annual herb of the carrot family. It is widely known in Europe but hardly recognized in the United States. It has a flavor that is similar to mild parsley. The herb should be chopped fine, served fresh, and not be subjected to periods of long cooking. It can be sprinkled over fish, chicken, egg dishes, soups, and salads. It is a nice garnish for meat dishes and goes well with cheese dips, goulash, and stuffing. If you have a recipe that calls for cilantro or parsley, try Chervil instead!

Chili Powder

is NOT a spice. Chili powder is a combination of spices: ground chili or ground chilies, cumin, oregano, garlic powder and any other variety of spices depending on the maker's taste. In the United States, chili powder has become associated as the "hot" ingredient in Mexican food. However, Latinos who are familiar with chili peppers don't use the combined-chili powder, instead preferring a particular chili such as chili guajillo, chili jalapeno, chili new mexico, chili japones, chili california, etc. In the U.S. today there are several chili powders which vary in taste. To achieve a particular "heat" or "flavor", a cook should learn to use particular chilies, whether ground or whole, instead of the chili powder. With a large amount of vitamin C, red, green and Cayenne pepper chilies stimulate circulation, which is why it is considered to be a potent aphrodisiac.

Chocolate and Cocoa

One of the best known natural aphrodisiacs. Discovered in Mexico by the Spanish, Xocoatel or Chocolate was only drunk as a beverage by the ruling Aztecs. Cocoa and therefore Chocolate, contains Theobromine. Theobromine is an alkaloid contained in the beans which resembles caffeine in its stimulant action. Its effect on muscle, the kidneys and the heart is more pronounced than caffeine, while its effect on the central nervous system is less intense. Some recent studies "claim" that the chemical reaction of theobromine is the same reaction as the human body produces when one is "in love". Such a reaction explains why those who just fall in love want more chocolate and also why those who lack love also crave a lot of chocolate.

Cinnamon

is one of the oldest spices known to man. Sri Lanka produces approximately 70% of the world's cinnamon. Cinnamon is native to the hot, moist climate of Sri Lanka. Cinnamon quills (sticks) come from the dried inner bark of the wild cinnamon tree. The reddish-brown spice has a warm, spicy, woody aroma with a similar flavor. Cinnamon may be used in tomato and cranberry juice, raisin, chocolate, lemon, orange, and other fruit sauces. Try Chef Merito Cinnamon with chocolate, hot apple cider, espresso, Irish coffee, cakes, and pastries. Cinnamon is a must in many Mexican dishes. Among the nutritional qualities of cinnamon are that it contains tannin, eugenol, metholeugenol, mucilage and cinnamic aldehyde. These chemicals or nutrients help relieve diarrhea and nausea, counteract congestion and warm the body. Many nutritional books claim that cinnamon helps metabolize fats and fight fungal infections.

Cloves

are dried, unopened flower buds of an evergreen tree, borne in clusters of 10 to 15. Approximately 80% of the world's supply of cloves is exported from Tanzania. Clove is considered to be the most fragrant of all aromatic spices. The flavor and aroma has been characterized as being spicy, pepper, sweet, and fruity. Try Chef Merito Whole or Ground Cloves with fruit or other sweet dishes. Some other uses for cloves are the following: baked apple dishes, pastry spice, cakes, cookies, fruit soups, mole, pickles, preserves, puddings, spicy sweet syrups, meats like baked ham, mincemeat, and pot roast. Nutritional books list clove as having an "antiseptic and anti-parasitic" properties, as well as good to help digestion. Clove contains the chemicals caryophylline and eugenol. One of the most powerful natural aphrodisiacs. It is also effective against mental and physical fatigue as well as memory loss. In essence form, take two or three drops in honey every day.

Coconut

is NOT a spice. However, coconut is used extensively in Brazilian, African, and Asian cuisine and one should be aware that it also imparts flavor in foods. The coconut plant is a palm tree. The coconut fruit is usually bright green on the outside, until it dries up and becomes yellow-brown. Inside the coconut fruit is a large seed filled with liquid. The seed is brown, covered with hair-like fibers, and has a thick meaty-white skin. Inside the seed is a clear sweet liquid, which has been for years erroneously called "coconut milk." Coconut milk is actually a blend of the white coconut meat and the coconut water. In Thai and Brazilian cooking, coconut milk and coconut oil are essential ingredients in many dishes. The dried coconut meat is also used in cooking. If you want to use fresh coconut, you need to preheat an oven at 400 degrees Farenheit, then crack the coconut shell, drain the liquid and place it in the oven for 25 minutes to cook the meat. Once cooked, cool, then crack open completely, remove the brown part from the fleshy white part, and cut or grate the white part with a grater or food processor so that you may use it in recipes. Otherwise, you may purchase already flaked or grated coconut and use these instead of creating your own.

Coriander

is brownish-yellow globular fruit and about 4mm in diameter. The flavor resembles a mixture of caraway, cumin, sage, and lemon peel. Its aroma may best be described as similar to bologna or frankfurters, since it is a principal flavoring ingredient for these items. Ground coriander may be used to flavor chili dishes, mole, cream, cottage, and other mild cheese dishes, fresh mushrooms, stews, corn, and green beans.

Cumin Seed

is yellowish-brown with a short stem. The taste is warm, spicy, aromatic, and pharmaceutical. Cumin is an essential ingredient and is the predominant flavor in most Egyptian, Indian, and Turkish curries. Cumin is basic for most Cuban and Caribbean dishes, specially chicken and bean soups. Try Chef Merito Cumin with meat, poultry, and vegetable dishes. It is also good with mild ,starchy foods like rice, potatoes, and bread.

Curry Leaves

or Curry Patta are sold dried or fresh. The leaves are shiny and can be used whole or cut or crushed. Sometimes, the leaves can be fried in oil, then removed, and then the food can be cooked or fried in the already flavored curry oil. Curry leaves, along with turmeric, are essential ingredients in curries or curry powder.