Mexican Cooking Terminology

FRUITS
FRUTA

Aceitunas (ah-say_TOO-nah)--
olives
Albaricoque (ahl-bah-ree-KOH-keh)--
apricot
Arandano -- cranberry
Avocados --
Delicate, delicious and healthy fruits
that are used to make guacamole,
or sliced and served as a garnish
to many Mexican meals.
They are pear shaped, with either a dark green,
rough skin or
a smooth medium-green skin.
They must be used when they are slightly soft.
Skin and peel, remove seed
and use in your recipe as noted.
Chabacano -- apricot
Ciruela (see-KWEH-lah)-- plum
Ciruela pasa -- prune
Cereza -- cherry
Coco -- coconut
Durazno (doo-RAHS-noh)--
canned peaches in their juice
Frambuesa (frahm-SWEH-soh)--
raspberry
Fresa (FREH-sah)--
strawberry
Gota de miel -- honey dew
Granada -- pomegranate
Grosella -- currant
Guayaba (gwah-YAH-hah)--
guava
Higos (ee-GOH)-- figs
Limón (lee-MOHN)-- lemon or lime
Mandarina (mahn-dah-REE-nah)--
tangerine
Manzana (mahn-SAH-nah)--
apple
Melón -- melon
Melon chino -- canteloupe
Melocoton (meh-loh-koh-TOHN)--
peach
Naranja --(nah-RAHN-hah)
orange
Papaya -- papaya
Pera (PEH-rah)-- pear
Piña (PEE-nyah)--
pineapple
Plantain --
This large, thick-skinned, three-sided banana
is used extensively for cooking.
When green, it is cooked for a long time,
but more often it is used black, sliced and fried.
Raw plantains are never sweet,
even when fully ripe.
Plantano (PLAH-tah-noh) --
banana
Sandia (sahn-DEE-ah_--
watermelon
Sultanas -- raisins
Tamarindo --
a fruit (like a bean?) for juices & dulce
Tejocote - small orange fruit
Tomate Verde--
Also called tomatillo or
miltomate in some regions,
this is not a green tomato
but a relative of the gooseberry,
with a small fruit covered
by a parchment-like calyx.
An important ingredient
in many Mexican dishes,
it is now found in
supermarkets outside Mexico.
It is also available canned.
Toronja -- grapefruit
Tuna (TOO-nah)--
Cactus fruit ranging in color
from green to red or maroon.
The moist, granular flesh is good
served raw as a dessert with
lemon and sugar, but is also candied
or used in desserts.
Uvas (OO-vah)-- grapes
Zapote negro --
green fruit with black creamy content
Zarzamora -- blackberry

NUTS
Nueces

Know other terms that should be added ?
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Elaine

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