What Are Southwestern Seasonings

Southwestern seasonings give salsa its spicy flavor.

Southwestern-style food is famous for meaty, cheesy, spicy dishes, such as burritos, tacos, enchiladas and chili stew. Southwestern seasonings give these dishes a spicy punch of flavor. The basic seasoning recipe can be altered to change the spiciness level depending on consumers' preferences.

Origins

As is true of most Southwestern cuisine, Southwestern seasonings are an amalgam of Mexican, Spanish and Native American origins. Southwestern cuisine began with the Pueblo Indians, who cultivated beans, squash and corn. With the arrival of the Spaniards to the southwestern America came wheat and rice; tomatoes, tomatillos and chilies were added by the Mexican natives. The unique blend of spices that formulate Southwestern seasonings and cuisine today are a result of the mixture of these three cultures.

Uses

Southwestern seasonings can be used to flavor just about any meal. The seasoning gives extra flavor to burritos, tacos, beans, chili, sauces, salsa and dip. You can also use Southwestern seasoning to flavor chicken, fish and other meat dishes. Add this seasoning to other dishes, such as shrimp or macaroni and cheese, to give them a spicy punch of flavor.

Ingredients

Basic Southwestern seasoning contains onion, garlic, chili peppers and salt. Many additional ingredients can be added to vary the flavor the seasoning, including cumin, cilantro, chives, black pepper, paprika, oregano and cayenne pepper. The ingredient composition of a particular seasoning determines the seasoning's spiciness, but the main indicator of spiciness is the type and amount of chilies in the seasoning. More than 200 varieties of chili can be added. They range from mild, like the Anaheim chili, to very hot, like the habanero.

Recipes

Southwestern seasonings can be easily made at home. Countless recipes exist, each with its own variation and ratio of ingredients. For a basic Southwestern sauce, mix 1/2 cup dried cilantro, 1/3 cup dried minced onion, 1/3 cup hot or mild chili powder, 1/4 cup dried chives, 1/4 cup ground cumin and 1/4 cup salt in a large mixing bowl. Use as much seasoning as desired for any given recipe. Then, store the remaining mixture in a sealed plastic container.

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