Spice use

short-grain brown rice (about 90 grams) • water (240 ml) • chicken bouillon • saffron powder • bell pepper, finely chopped (I used green because I didn't have red, but red adds a nice color) • onion, finely chopped • garlic, finely chopped • Nonstick cooking spray, • Water, as needed, for sautéing • chicken drumstick (you can also use chicken breast) • Cilantro leaves, to taste • lemon

corn tortillas, lightly fried on both sides in oil or vegetable shortening until soft • shelled, salted peanuts (about 140 grams) • roasted tomatoes • roasted onion, peeled and sliced into half-moons • red apple, cored and chopped • roasted garlic cloves, peeled • Small handful of freshly chopped mixed herbs (such as thyme, oregano, or marjoram) • fried chiles to taste (I use guajillo and ancho) • roasted cinnamon and cumin • salt • cooked sweet potato, mashed with a touch of vegetable shortening with salt or peanut butter, and freshly ground spices (about 250 grams). This is to make a mash • To serve or garnish: •

small head cabbage, very finely shredded • cooked chickpeas (I use them peeled) • cooked green peas (about 250 grams) • dried ancho chiles, soaked overnight and seeded • tomatoes, sliced into thin strips • small red onion, thinly sliced • chorizo (about 250 grams) • thin pork cutlets, chopped • garlic cloves, chopped • parsley, coarsely chopped • white pork lard • salt, to taste

pork leg (you can use half pork shoulder) • achiote paste (80 grams) • fresh orange juice (about 500 ml, from about 6 oranges) • large garlic cloves • medium onion • dried oregano • black pepper • Salt • guajillo chiles, pre-soaked • limes (if the oranges are very sweet, use one more) • vinegar • bay leaves (add at the end)

chicken, any cut you prefer • Black pepper, to taste • Salt, to taste (use both coarse and ground if you like) • onion • Lemon, to taste • Oil, • Water,

chicken breast and 2 chicken thighs • guajillo chiles (use fewer if you prefer less heat) • morita chiles • canned chipotle chiles • oregano, to taste • garlic cloves • bay leaves • avocado leaves • thyme • salt and pepper, to taste • vinegar (60 ml) • cooking water from the chiles (60 ml) •

steak (use your choice: beef, pork, or chicken) • red tomatoes • dried pasilla chiles • garlic cloves • onion • bean, chicken, or beef broth (about 1/2 liter; use water if you don't have broth) • cilantro • Salt, to taste • Black pepper, to taste • Oregano, to taste • Cumin, to taste • Oil, to taste

poblano pepper • garlic clove (germ removed) • onion • oil for confiting (about 60 ml) • oil for blending (I use olive oil) • Salt to taste

good-quality bacon, chopped (about 300 grams) • unsalted butter (about 100 grams) • medium white onion, chopped • garlic, minced or crushed • all-purpose flour (about 120 grams) • milk (1 liter) • ground nutmeg • White pepper to taste (or black pepper if you don't have white) • dried fine herbs (optional) • Salt to taste • all-purpose flour (about 60 grams; can use seasoned flour) • large eggs •

fresh pineapple (1 thick slice) (about 165 grams) • medium white onion • garlic • dried chile de árbol peppers (use more or less to taste) • allspice berry • sesame oil (or any cooking oil) • rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) • salt

cooked shrimp, thawed • mixed lettuce greens • orange (for juice) • avocado • Dijon mustard • extra virgin olive oil • black pepper, to taste • salt, to taste (optional; I didn't use any)

pineapple • red onion • Habanero pepper to taste (I use one per slice of pineapple) • Salt to taste • Black pepper to taste • Oregano to taste • apple cider vinegar (about 60 ml)

pumpkin (about 700 grams), preferably calabaza de Castilla or similar • sweet potatoes (about 1 kg), use a mix of yellow and purple if available • large piloncillo cones (or 2 cups packed dark brown sugar, about 400 grams) • water (710 ml) • large cinnamon stick • whole cloves • Milk, to taste, for serving

long-grain white rice (about 1 1/2 cups or 300 grams) • Roma tomatoes (use 1 if large, 2 if small) • Chicken bouillon cubes, to taste • Salt, to taste • small garlic clove • Onion, to taste • Boiling water

eggs • plantains • olive oil • zucchini • salt to taste • bell pepper • onion • dried peas • butter (about 4 tablespoons or 56 grams) • cracked black pepper to taste • salt to taste • zucchini, use a spiralizer or grater to make noodle shapes •

pork (about 1 kg), use pork shoulder or ribs • purslane (about 1 kg) • Roma tomatoes • onion • garlic • serrano or cuaresmeño peppers • salt or bouillon powder (to taste) • black pepper • Purslane

rice, can use brown rice (about 90 grams) • plus 1 tablespoon water (about 260 milliliters) • salt • ground cumin

cooked pinto beans (about 1 liter) • beef ribs (about 400 grams; you can also use pork ribs) • dried guajillo chiles (or other red chiles) • dried ancho chiles • small piece onion • garlic clove • cumin • oregano • Salt and pepper to taste • Water • Plenty of flour or corn tortillas • Pico de gallo (diced tomato, onion, cilantro, and serrano pepper), to taste •

potatoes (about 3 kg; estimate 9 oz per serving) • Grilled beef, to taste (you can substitute with your preferred meat) • grated melting cheese (about 500 grams; use as much as you like) • Fried tortilla strips, to taste • Dressing of your choice (garlic or your favorite), to taste • Salt, to taste • Black pepper, to taste • Mexican crema (about 8.8 oz or 250 grams) • Butter, to taste • aluminum foil • Pico de gallo, to taste (tomato, onion, lime juice, salt, and cilantro) • Guacamole, to taste

masa harina (about 1 kg, or use fresh masa if available) • baking powder (such as Royal brand) (about 5 grams) • chicken breast • garlic clove • as needed, onion • large Roma tomatoes • as needed, salt • as needed, vegetable oil • tomatillos • habanero pepper • sour cream (about 1/4 liter) • Cotija cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 kg) •

eggs • onion, thinly sliced • hot dogs • small piece of chorizo (use as much as you like) • Salt, to taste • Black pepper, to taste • Mayonnaise, to taste • Mustard, to taste • Refried beans, to taste • Salsa macha, to taste

chicken thighs with skin • ripe red tomatoes (about 600 grams) • medium white onions • garlic • salt • ground black pepper • cold corn tortillas (day-old) • banana leaf, each 20 x 16 inches (50 x 40 cm), toasted • fresh epazote • dried red chile de árbol peppers (if unavailable, use any dried hot chili pepper) • Plastic wrap for wrapping • water (600 ml)

As needed, tortilla strips, cut • cooked Roma tomatoes (about 1 pound/450 grams) • dried pasilla chile • onion • small bunch cilantro • chicken broth (240 ml), or use 1 cup water (240 ml) with chicken bouillon powder dissolved • epazote • garlic clove • Salt, to taste

Garlic powder, to taste • Ground black pepper, to taste • Vegetable oil, • onion • Beef steaks, as needed (you can also use chicken or pork)

turmeric • bay leaves and/or 1 sprig rosemary • Noodles or rice, to taste • water (3 liters) • bone-in chicken breast • oil • garlic cloves • carrot • celery • leek (use only the firmest part) • green onions (especially the green tops) • cilantro •

beef shank (can use lean) • carrots • large zucchini • chayotes • large potatoes • corn • onion • Powdered bouillon or salt, to taste • bay leaves • whole black peppercorns • Lime, to taste

ground beef (can use half beef, half pork) • Roma tomatoes • onion • zucchini • garlic clove • large eggs • uncooked white rice (about 65 grams) • chipotle in adobo sauce • Fresh oregano leaves, to taste • black pepper • salt, divided • ground cumin •

Large wheat chicharrón (duros) • tomatoes • green cabbage (use half of a medium one) • large cucumber • For serving: • Sour cream, to taste • Lime, to taste • Hot sauce (such as Guacamaya, Valentina, Búfalo, Botanera, etc.) • Chamoy • Chili powder (like Tajín) • Grated dry cheese (such as Cotija)

rice (about 200 grams) • bean broth (measured with the same cup as the rice) (about 480 ml) • cooked beans (you can use canned whole beans and substitute water for the broth if there isn’t much liquid) • onion • garlic clove • bouillon cube (or 1 tablespoon bouillon powder, beef or chicken) • Salt to taste (if not using bouillon cube or powder) • oil • fresh parsley (or dried)

As many large poblano peppers as needed (I use two per person) • As many wooden toothpicks as needed (about 3 per pepper) • ground beef (about 500 grams) • large white onion • tomatoes, diced • raisins (about 70 grams) • walnuts (about 80 grams) • apple, peeled • salt • small potato, diced very small • black pepper • garlic cloves, finely chopped •