Al Carbón – Cooked over charcoal or wood coals.
Al Pastor – Spit-grilled pork marinated with adobo seasoning, dried chiles, and pineapple
Agua Fresca – Literally fresh water, blend of fruit, water, and sugar.
Atún – Tuna
Barbacoa – a specialty of Jalisco made with lamb or goat.
Birria – Slow-cooked stew flavored with a variety of chiles and spices. typically made with goat or sheep or beef.
Bistec – Beefsteak.
Borrego – Lamb.
Cabeza – Meats from the head of a cow.
Cachete – Cheek usually beef
Calabaza – Squash, pumpkin
Camarón – Shrimp
Carne – Meat
Carne Molida – Ground Beef
Carnitas – Fried Pork
Cebolla – Onion
Ceviche – Salad made of raw fish “cooked” in lime juice combined with tomatoes, onions, spices, chiles
Cerveza – Beer
Chicharrones – Pork skin deep fried until crispy then seasoned.
Chilaquiles – Corn tortilla pieces marinated in chile, layered with a filling, sauce, and cheese, and baked in a casserole
Chile con queso – A melted cheese dip seasoned with mild green chile
Chipotle – Ripened and smoked dried jalepeno
Chorizo – Spiced pork sausage made with coarsely chopped pork and red pepper and seasoned with chili and paprika.
Chivo: Goat.
Churro – Sweet-dough spiral, deep-fried, coated with cinnamon and sugar
Ensalada – Salad
Escabeche – Pickled
Flauta/Flautita A small corn tortilla that has been stuffed with meat or beans then sealed and deep-fried until crisp.
Frijoles – Beans
Guacamole – Avocado mixture that is made from ripened avocados and lemon or lime juice, diced onions and tomato, cilantro.
Harina – Wheat flour
Huevo – Egg. Also blanquillo
Jamón – Ham
Jícama – A crisp, white, edible root
Labios – Lips
Lengua – Beef or pork tongue seasoned and slow cooked in water, garlic, and bay leaves then sliced and sauteed.
Lechuga – Lettuce
Maíz – Corn
Mariscos – Shellfish
Masa – Dough, usually referring to ground hominy, called nixtamal
Mixta: Mixed meat
Nopales: Cactus pads.
Ojo or Oreja – Fillings can be made from eye or ear
Pepino – Cucumber
Pescado – Grilled or fried fish topped with pico de gallo, lettuce or cabbage, and sour cream or citrus/mayonnaise sauce.
Picadillo – Meat hash
Poblano – A large mild green chile. Poblanos originated in the Mexican state of Puebla.
Pollo – Marinated chicken, grilled or roasted.
Queso – Cheese
Rábano – Radish
Salsa roja – Tomato-based red salsa
Salsa verde – Tomatillo-based green salsa
Serrano – A variet of hot chile peppers
Sesos – Grilled or steamed brains typically from a cow.
Tacos dorados: Deep-fried tacos.
Tacos al vapor: Steamed tacos. Also called sudados (sweated) or de canasta (basket).
Tocino – Bacon
Tripas – Grilled small intestine from cow or pork.