The red sands of West Texas bring to mind paprika and red pepper.
West Texas is known for its characteristic red sand dunes and distinctive cooking influenced by Mexican culture. The red sands outside of El Paso serve as a playground for off-road motorcyclists, and are the namesake of Red Sands Elementary School.
El Paso, with its city limits flush against the Mexican city of Juarez, offers prime examples of the best of two cultures combining for a culinary treat in local restaurants. The flavors are rich, smoky and hot, thanks to a shared love of several red sand spices.
Crushed Red Pepper
Red peppers thrive in the hot, sunny climate of western Texas, and are used in many of its local dishes. Peppers are also commonly found on the red-checked tablecloths of pizzerias, adding both a pretty visual element and a pungent, smoky flavor to food. Crushed red pepper, as the name suggests, is dried, crushed red chile peppers. Chile peppers were once grown in South America, but are now enjoyed all over the world. They are often used as a replacement for black pepper.
Ancho Chile Powder
Ancho chile powder is another common spice found in local dishes prepared near the red sands of western Texas. The powder is made from dried, ground ancho chiles. The powder has a moderate heat level, with fruity undertones. It's best used in spice rubs and mole sauce.
The ancho is a dried poblano chile with a mild to medium heat, and a fruity flavor. It's commonly used in Mexican cooking. The best are sun-dried, with whole, unbroken pods and a uniform color.
Cumin
Cumin is native to the Mediterranean region, but is frequently used in the dishes of Mexico and western Texas. It is commonly cultivated and used in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Iran. It's also a common ingredient in Texas-style chili powder, as well as curry powder and other spice mixes used in Mexico, India, North Africa, Cuba and Pakistan. The flavor adds warmth to chili and curry.
Sweet Paprika
Paprika is grown in varieties of sweetness, heat and flavor. The Spanish grades offer sweet, semi-sweet and hot varieties. The differences in flavor can be distinct, as you well know if you've substituted a hot for a sweet in a pinch.
Sweet paprika is commonly used in chili powders, and, therefore, in the dishes that traditionally come from the red sands areas of western Texas. Paprika is ground from varieties of Capsicum annuum, which are larger and milder than chili peppers.
Tags: western Texas, commonly used, local dishes, West Texas