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.