La cocina de MamiMami Bruny’s kitchen

La despensaStock the pantry

Casi todo el sabor de la cocina boricua sale de una lista corta. Los consigues en colmados y mercados latinos, y cada vez más en el supermercado.Most of the flavor in Puerto Rican cooking comes from a short list. Find these at Latin grocers and, more and more, at regular supermarkets.

• Sofrito

  Sofrito

  The green base of nearly every savory dish: onion, garlic, cubanelle peppers, ají dulce, culantro and cilantro, blended. Most families make a big batch and freeze it in ice cube trays.

  Dónde comprarlo:Buying it: Jarred sofrito works in a pinch, but homemade tastes brighter. The recipe is in this kitchen.

• Recao (culantro)

  Culantro

  Long, saw-edged leaves that taste like a stronger, earthier cilantro. It is what makes sofrito taste Puerto Rican.

  Dónde comprarlo:Buying it: Latin, Caribbean and Southeast Asian grocers. Vietnamese markets call it ngò gai. Use extra cilantro if you can't find it.

• Ají dulce

  Sweet chili pepper

  Small, wrinkled peppers that look like habaneros and smell like them, with almost no heat.

  Dónde comprarlo:Buying it: Fresh at Caribbean grocers, or frozen in bags. Don't swap in habaneros. A little extra cubanelle is the safer substitute.

• Sazón

  Sazón seasoning

  A seasoning blend with achiote for color plus garlic, cumin, coriander and salt. The orange in arroz con gandules.

  Dónde comprarlo:Buying it: The packets "con culantro y achiote" are the classic. Homemade blends skip the MSG.

• Adobo seco

  Dry adobo

  Salt, garlic, onion, oregano and black pepper in one shaker. Goes on meat, beans, eggs and everything else.

  Dónde comprarlo:Buying it: Any brand at the supermarket. It is mostly salt, so season with it instead of plain salt, not on top of it.

• Achiote

  Annatto

  Red seeds the Taíno used for color and body paint. Warm the seeds in oil to make aceite de achiote, which tints rice and pasteles.

  Dónde comprarlo:Buying it: Seeds in the spice aisle of Latin grocers. Ground annatto or sazón gives the color without the oil.

• Alcaparrado

  Olives and capers

  Manzanilla olives, capers and pimientos in brine. Adds salty, briny bites to rice, picadillo and stews.

  Dónde comprarlo:Buying it: In jars near the olives. Plain pimiento-stuffed olives plus a few capers work.

• Gandules

  Pigeon peas

  Small, nutty green peas brought from Africa. Christmas isn't Christmas without arroz con gandules.

  Dónde comprarlo:Buying it: Canned or frozen green pigeon peas. Fresh ones show up at Caribbean markets in winter.

• Plátanos

  Plantains

  Green plantains are starchy, for tostones and mofongo. Yellow and black ones (maduros) are sweet and fry up soft.

  Dónde comprarlo:Buying it: Most supermarkets carry them. Buy green for savory dishes; let some ripen on the counter until almost black for maduros.

• Crema de coco y leche de coco

  Cream of coconut and coconut milk

  Two different cans. Cream of coconut (Coco López, invented in Puerto Rico) is thick and sweetened. Coconut milk is unsweetened.

  Dónde comprarlo:Buying it: Cream of coconut is usually with the cocktail mixers. Shake coconut milk well before opening.