Mexican cuisine depends on distinctive flavours with a variety of chillis being used, therefore I have listed some of the ingredients needed to create these dishes. Most of these ingredients are available through specialist grocers and shops or supermarkets depending on where you live. Many of the required chillis are only available in their dried for in certain countries if your lucky, so why not try growing your own to get the different colours, flavours textures and heat strenghts.
Achiote
Achiote is a small red seed from the annatto tree, usually sold ground and mixed with spices. The powdered form can be used as a rub for fish and meat, or can be made into a paste for marinating giving a red/yellow colouring to the dish with a earthy fragrant flavour. Try using orange juice to mix to a paste.
Avocado
Avocado form the basis of Mexico's famous sauce - Guacamole. The black skinned variety seem to have the better flavour and should be bought when they give a little when pressed. Once cut open the flesh will need tossing or mashing in lemon or lime juice to prevent discolouring. Dried advocado leaves are available for using roasted and ground, or whole in sauces or beans dishes, which gives the dish a nutty flavour.
Beans
Beans are the main staple of mexican food, black, haricot, pinto, and kidney beans as well as chickpeas are used. Pinto's are probably the most common used in refried beans, which are mashed and fried in lard or butter after cooking and used as a filling.
All beans must be soaked overnight prior to cooking in fresh boiling water for two to three hours.

Chocolate/Cocoa
Chocolate, which originated in Mexico, is different from the chocolate familiar to most, the cocoa beans are roasted very dark and coarsely ground over heat with sugar and frequently cinnamon, almonds, and vanilla. Chocolate is then used in savoury dishes and mole sauces as well as sweet dishes and drinks. A hot chocolate drink, is made from roasted and ground cocoa beans, which is then sweetened with honey and flavoured with vanilla and whisked until frothy.

Try this as a starting point to a Mexican hot chocolate drink
6oz unsweetened chocolate
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1tbls sugar
2 pints milk
Bring all ingredients to the boil stirring constantly, take off heat and let bubbling subside. Return to heat, bring back to the boil whisking continuously until frothy. Serves 4-5.
Coriander/Cilantro
Fresh coriander is used in vast amounts and has no substitute. This herb will keep fresh for about a week in the refrigerator if you cut off the roots, wrap in kitchen paper and seal. It resembles flat leaf parsley but has a very distinctive taste, may be grown from seed in a sunny sheltered spot.
Cheeses
Queso blanco (white, fresh, salty cheese) and queso añejo (aged, salty, crumbly cheese) are Mexican cheeses, which can be substituted with Cheshire or Lancashire cheeses or Greek feta. Queso de Chihuahua is now eaten all over Mexico which is similar to a mild cheddar. Mixing cheddar with mozzarella will give the same sort of stringy consistency which is a must in the Mexican cooked cheese dishe

Epazote
This is a green herb used in mexican dishes which can be dried, giving a earthy flavour to dishes, if you can obtain it.

Maize Meal - Masa Harina
This is a treated stoneground flour made from maize, used for home made tortillas and tamales.

Tomatillos
These are not green tomatoes but a relation of the Cape gooseberry. They have a green outer husk while developing on the plant resembling a lattern, which as they develop, turns transparent and dries indicating the tomatillo is ready for picking. The tomatillos fruits are light green and add a tart freshness to a dish, the size varying form a small shallot to a lemon, also available in cans but can be easily grown as they do not need much looking after except pinching out when they reach about two foot in height. Growing season is the same as tomatoes.

Tortillas
Recipe
12oz plain flour or wheat flour
2tsp baking powder
2tbls lard
8fl oz warm water
good pinch salt
Rub cubed lard into the sieved flour, baking powder and salt then gradually add the water to form a soft dough. Knead dough on floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and stretchy, divide into golf ball sized bits and cover with a cloth for 20 minutes. Roll each ball out to about 7 inches on a floured surface and slap onto a hot flat griddle, and cook until it puffs up and slightly browns then turn over and cook other side pressing out any bubbles. All cooked tortillas should still be soft.

Uses:
Burritos: stuffed tortilla parcels
Enchiladas: tortillas dipped in chilli sauce, filled and baked
Flautas: fried rolled filled tortillas
Quesadillas: folded with cheese and fried
Tacos: warmed tortillas stuffed and eaten soft
Tostadas: crisp fried tortillas topped with chilli or beans
Tortilla Chips: tortillas cut into wedges and deep fried

Mexican Recipes Mexican Ingredients Oriental Recipes Oriental ingredients