Food Glossary

Ají chiles—chiles vary in flavor from sweet, like Caribbean ajís, to very hot, like South American ajís. They come in shades of green, yellow, and red. When a recipe calls for ajís, check to see if they are hot or sweet.

Annatto oil—vegetable oil that has been heated with annatto seeds, coloring it orange. Used instead of ground annatto to color soups, sancochos, and rice.

Annatto or bixa seeds—dark red seeds contained in a pod. The seeds release an orange pigment that is an alternative to saffron’s yellow pigment. Ground annatto can be found in many Latin grocery stores and is used in soups and rice dishes. Extract from the seeds is used to color butter and yellow cheese.

Calabaza or auyama squash—thick, dark yellow or orange yellow flesh is characteristic of this tender vegetable. If you can’t find calabaza, try Asian Kambocha squash. It is much smaller, but the flavor is very similar. You can also substitute winter squash or pumpkin, but the flavor will not be as sweet and rich.

Cassava (yuca)—a root vegetable found in the tropics used to produce daily staples, such as casaba, a bread product. Today, yuca is used as a starchy vegetable by itself, in stews, or as a source of flour for hallacas or empanadas. Tapioca is derived from cassava and is used as a thickener.

Chayote squash—green on the outside and white on the inside, chayotes are pear-shaped. Also known as mirliton, they are highly appreciated in soups and sancochos.

Chipotle chiles—the skin of jalapeño peppers is rather thick, making it difficult to dry them. Chipotle peppers are jalapeño peppers that have been smoke-dried. They are also sold pickled. Chipotles are hotter than fresh jalapeños.

Culantro leaves—highly flavorful herbs used in Caribbean cooking, especially in Puerto Rico, where they are one of the main ingredients in sofrito. Culantro leaves are long, serrated, bright green leaves harvested from small plants that grow close to the ground. Many cooks grow their own to ensure an adequate supply. You can substitute plenty of cilantro for culantro.

Epazote—used in Mexican cooking, this herb has a strong flavor and is a favorite in bean, corn, and squash dishes. It is said to reduce the intestinal gas produced by beans. You can buy dried epazote in packets.

Guajillo chiles—thin-skinned dried peppers widely used in Mexican cooking. They range from mild to hot and are used in sauces, soups, and stews.

Habanero chiles—the hottest chile typically used in Latin cooking. Habaneros have a distinctive flavor and aroma. Originally from Cuba, this very hot pepper thrives well in Mexico and Central America. Handle carefully!

Masa harina de maíz—precooked corn flour (not the same product as cornmeal), used to make tamales, hallacas, empanadas, and other corn dishes.

Ñame—another tropical root, delicately flavored and used in sancochos.

Nopales—tender cactus leaves used in Mexico as a vegetable for centuries. Available fresh or canned, tasting something like squash or green beans (opinion varies!). If you buy fresh cactus leaves, choose leaves about the size of your hand, very green, and at least 3/8 inch thick.

Ripe plantains (amarillos)—look like very large bananas and must be boiled or baked before they are eaten. They sweeten soups, stews, and meat dishes.

Soursop (guanábana)—ranging from sweet to tart in flavor, this round or heart-shaped fruit produces a rich and creamy juice used for refreshing drinks. The fruit may also be eaten off the trees in many Latin American backyards.

Starfruit (carambola)—given its unusual shape, this exotic fruit is easy to identify in the market. Slices of this yellow, thin-skinned fruit are shaped like stars and have a mild, delicate flavor.

Tamarinds—brown pods contain large seeds covered with a sweet-and-sour pulp, which is blended with water and sugar to produce a refreshing drink with a distinctive flavor. You can buy the seeds, pulp, or juice in Latin markets.

Yautías (dasheens)—tropical root vegetable used extensively in sancochos. They are also boiled and seasoned with a dash of extra-virgin olive oil and eaten like a boiled potato.

Yuca—In many places yuca and yucca are used interchangeably. In reality, they are two different plants. Yuca, with one c is a tuber from the Euphorbiaceae family. It is widely used as food in many tropical countries. Yucca, from the Asparagaceae family, is used as an ornamental plant. It has a woody base and a long stem with white flowers. In some parts of Central America the flowers are used as food.