Mexican Cooking Terminology

VEGETABLES
LEGUMBRES / VERDURAS

Acelgas -- chard
Aguacate -- Avocado
Alcachofa (ahl-kah-CHOH-fah)--
Artichoke
Apio (AH-pee-oh)-- celery
Berenjena (beh-rehn-HEH-nah)--
eggplant
Berro -- watercress
Betabeles -- beets
Brocoli -- broccoli
Calabacin (kah-lah-bah-SEEN)--
zucchini
Calabaza (kah-lah-BAH-sah)--
squash
Camotes -- sweet potatoes
Ceboola (seh-BOH-yah)-- onion
Champinons (chahm-pee-NYOHN)--
mushrooms
Chayote --
a variety of squash, green, avocado size
(prickly pear squash)
Chícharos (CHEE-chah-rah)-- peas
Chiles--
The many chiles all belong to the genus
Capsicum
and vary in the degree of "hotness".
Chiles, Green --
Found in a variety of
sizes, shapes, and piquancies,
they are an important part
of Southwestern dishes.
Before use, the skin is removed.
Used in sauces, relishes, stews,
and as chile rellenos.
Chiles, Red --
Green chile that has ripened and dried.
Usually used ground or crushed
for added seasoning
or in making a variety
of sauces.
See Chiles & Salsas
for more information.
Chile pimiento -- bell peppers
Chile poblano --
big green/dark chiles
like bell peppers, not very hot
Col --
cabbage (Mexico),
Repollo (Spain)
Coliflor (koh-lee-FLOOR)-- cauliflower
Ejote (eh-HOH-teh)-- green bean
Elote (eh-LOH_teh)-- corn
Espárragos (ehs-PAH-rrah-goh)--
asparagus
Espinaca (ehs-pee-NAH-kah)-- spinach
Entomatados -- tomatoes
Flor de calabaza --
squash blossom used in sauces, soups, quesadillas...
Frijoles (free-HOH-lehs)-- beans
Garbanzos --
(Chick Peas)
Cooked, mashed, and seasoned
with salt, onion, red chile pulp, and cilantro.
Guisante (gih-SAHN-teh)--pea
Habas (AH-bahs) -- broad (fava) bean
Hongo -- mushroom
Jicama --
A large gray-brown root vegetable, delicious raw.
Has a white, crisp meat
resembling that of a potato or chestnut.
Jitomates -- tomatoes
Judias (hoo-DEE-ah)-- green beans
Lechuga (leh-CHOO-gah)-- lettuce
Maíz (mah-EES)-- corn
Nabo -- turnip
Nopales --
Leaves or pads of prickly pear cactus.
Taste and texture resemble green beans.
Used alone as a vegetable
or in soups, salads, and omelets.
Papas (PAH-pah) Potatoes
Pepino (peh-PEE-noh)-- cucumber
Pimiento (pee-MYEHN-toh)--bell pepper
Poblano -- a variety of chile
Puerro (PWEH-roh)-- leek
Quelites --
Spinach combined with pinto beans,
seasoned with bacon and crushed chile pods.
Rajas--
Strips, usually of chiles Rábano -- radish
Repolla (reh-POH-yah)--cabbage
Tomate (toh-MAH-teh)--tomato
Tuna (TOO-rah)--prickly pear
Verdolagas --
A common garden weed served
as a leafy vegetable.
Also called purslane.
Yucca (YOO-kah)--Sweet cassava
Zanahoria (sah-nah-OH-ryah)--
carrot

Know other terms that should be added ?
Need more info ?
Let me know !

Elaine

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