al pastor — Basically the Mexican version of a gyro, Middle-Eastern shawarma or Turkish doner kebab. Marinated meat grilled on a spit crosses cultural boundaries.
asado — Refers to meat cooked on a grill or over an open flame. For instance, carne asado is grilled beef and pollo asado is grilled chicken.
cemita — Similar to a hamburger, this sandwich is served on a fluffy, egg bun that incorporates onion and is topped with sesame seeds. The toppings are interchangeable, but often include meat, cheese and avocado.
chicharrones — These Latin American pork rinds are perfect fútbol food.
chile relleno — A poblano pepper stuffed with cheese, meat or both and then fried.
chorizo — Spicy sausage typically made from pork. It kicks up a meal at any time of day.
enchilada — Corn tortillas stuffed with meat and cheese, rolled up and fried. It’s similar to an American casserole or Italian manicotti. Once again, an example of a delicious concept that transcends cultures.
masa — Usually used to make tamales or tortillas, this dough made from corn is a Latin American starch staple.
mole — An extremely complex sauce. There’s a seemingly endless variety of recipes and ingredients, but mole is usually thick, served over meat and consists of an array of spices, herbs, veggies and other seasonings.
menudo — The ultimate hangover cure. This hearty, intensely spicy stew is typically made with beef tripe — edible stomach lining. When not cooked properly, tripe can taste funky and reek of urine, but true menudo masks any dankness.
pico de gallo — A condiment made of chopped tomatoes, onions and often chiles and cilantro. It’s served as a taco or burrito topping at Jalapeno Grill in South Campus Dining Hall.
queso fresco — One of the most common cheeses used in Mexican dishes (cheddar and pepper jack are inauthentic Americanized versions). This white cheese tastes similar to sour cream, but it is crumbly.
torta — A type of sandwich. The choice of meat doesn’t matter, because the key is the white, crusty roll.
arush@umd.edu
