Comal (cookware)

Latin American griddle

A comal is a smooth, flat griddle typically used in Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America, to cook tortillas and arepas, toast spices and nuts, sear meat, and generally prepare food. Similar cookware is called a budare in South America. Some comals are concave and made of barro (clay). These are still made and used by the indigenous peoples of Mexico and Central America. Comals are similar to the American griddle or the Indian tawa, and are often used and named interchangeably with these.

Comals for home use are generally made from heavy cast iron, and sized to fit over either one burner on the stovetop (round) or two burners front to back (elongated oval).^[1] In many indigenous and pre-Hispanic cultures, the comal is handed down from grandmother to mother to daughter, the idea being that a comal tempered over many years of use will heat faster and cook cleaner^{[citation needed]}.

History

The history of such cooking methods dates back to the pre-Columbian era, when powdered-hominy tortillas were cooked on an earthenware comal over an open fire. Comales were also used to toast cacao beans. The word "comal" comes from the Aztec Nahuatl word comalli.

Originally they were thin ceramic pieces, with slightly raised edges. They are found at archaeological sites throughout Central America, with the earliest examples dating to 700 BCE.^[2]

References

^ Chelsie Kenyon. Knack Mexican Cooking: A Step-by-Step Guide to Authentic Dishes Made Easy. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 12–. ISBN 978-0-7627-6206-4.
^ Morton, Paula E. (2014). Tortillas: A Cultural History. UNM Press. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-8263-5215-6.

Mexican cuisine

List of Mexican dishes

Soups
and stews

Birria
Caldo de pollo
Caldo de queso
Caldo de siete mares
Caldo tlalpeño
Caldo Xóchitl
Chileatole
Clemole
Cocido
Lime soup
Manchamanteles
Menudo
Mole de olla
Pozole
Sopa de fideo
Sopa de nopal
Tortilla soup

Rice dishes

Bean dishes

Egg dishes

Vegetable
dishes

Meat dishes

Al pastor Barbacoa Cabrito Discada Entomatada Mixiote Moronga Pastel azteca Relleno negro Tripas
Poultry	Arroz con pollo Patitas Escabeche oriental Mole poblano Pollo motuleño Tinga de pollo
Pork	Adobada Calabacitas con puerco Carne de chango Carnitas Chicharrón en salsa Chileajo de cerdo Chilorio Chorizo Cochinita pibil Cueritos Poc chuc
Beef	Alambre Aporreadillo Albóndigas al chipotle Beef brain Beef tongue Cabeza Carne a la tampiqueña Carne asada Carne seca Criadillas Machaca Milanesa Pachola Picadillo Puntas Quesobirria Salpicón Tinga de res
Seafood	Aguachile Cahuamanta Camarones al ajillo Ceviche Huachinango a la Veracruzana Mixmole de pescado Mojarra frita Pan de cazón Pescadito Pescado al ajillo Pulpo a la campechana

Other
protein dishes

Cheese dishes

Chicharrón de queso
Quesadilla
Queso en salsa
Queso flameado

Antojitos

Empalme Enchilada Guajolota Nachos Quesadilla Taco Taquito
Corn dough	Cazuelita Chalupa Chilaquiles Chimichanga Chochoyote Corn tortilla Corunda Doblada Duros Gordita Huarache Molote Panucho Papadzules Piedra Salbut Sope or Memela Tamale Tlacoyo Tlayuda Tostada Totopo
Wheat dough	Burrito Cemita Gringas Mollete Pambazo Paste Sincronizada Torta Wheat tortilla