| caballa | | mackerel | |
| cabra | | goat | |
| cabrito | kah-BREE-toh | kid (goat) | |
| cabuche | | a flower from the biznaga cactus | |
| cacahuate | | peanut | |
| cacahuazintle | kah-kah-wah-SEEN-tleh | white, very large kernel corn used for pozole as well as masa (corn dough) | |
| cacerola | | casserole | |
| café | | coffee | |
| café de olla | | Mexican style coffee traditionally prepared in a special eartherware pot. See recipes. | |
| cafetera | | coffee machine | |
| cajeta | kah-HEH-tah | a dessert, typically fruit or milk cooked with sugar and thickened | |
| calabacita | kah-lah-bah-SEE-tah | zucchini squash (calabacín) | |
| calabaza | kah-lah-BAH-sah | pumpkin | |
| calabaza en tacha | | a traditional pumpkin dessert served at Day of the Dead festivities | |
| calamar | | squid | |
| caldo | KAHL-doh | broth | |
| caliente | | hot | |
| callo de hacha | kah-yoh deh AH-cha | pinna clam | |
| callos de hacha | | scallops | |
| calor | | hot (weather temperature) | |
| camarones | kah-mah-RHO-nes | shrimp | |
| camote | kah-MOH-teh | yam or sweet potato | |
| campechano | | seafood cocktail | |
| campo | KAHM-poh | the country | |
| canela | | cinnamon. The cinnamon used in Mexican cooking is the softer loose-bark variety grown in Ceylon rather than the more commonly found hard-stick cinnamon | |
| cangrejo | | crab | |
| cantina | kahn-TEE-nah | bar | |
| capeado | kah-peh-AH-thoh | covered with batter and fried | |
| capulín | | A subtropical cherry similar to a common cherry | |
| carbón | kahr-BOHN | charcoal | |
| carne | KAHR-neh | meat | |
| carne asada | | carne asada refers to a specific cut of meat that has been grilled and served with a selection of condiments and beans | |
| carne molida | | ground meat | |
| carne picada | | finely chopped, minced meat | |
| carnitas | kahr-NEE-tahs | a dish of small bits of cooked pork used for tacos, burritos, tortas | |
| carta | | menu | |
| cascabel | kahs-kah-BEL | a round-shapped chili pepper (means rattle) | |
| castaño | | chestnut | |
| cazo | | pan or sauce pan | |
| cazón | kah-SOHN | dogfish | |
| cazuela | kah-SWEH-lah | earthenware casserole | |
| cebiche | seh-BEE-cheh | fish marinated in lime juice | |
| cebolla | seh-BOH-lah | onion | |
| cebolla | | onion | |
| cecina | seh-SEE-nah | Thin strips of dried meat | |
| cena | SEE-nah | supper | |
| cereza | | cherry | |
| cernidor | | sifter | |
| cerveza | | beer | |
| chabacano | | apricot | |
| chalupa | cha-LOO-pah | an oval or boat-shaped piece of masa (tortilla dough) pinched up at the edges and filled | |
| chapulines | chap-oo-lean-ès | A grasshopper found in Oaxaca which is crisp-fried then coated in with a mixture of salt and ground chiles and served as a snack. |  |
| charro | CHAH=rroh | a gentleman horseman | |
| chaya | | Chaya also know as Jatropha aconitifolia or Cnidoscolus Chayamansa is similar to spinach and even richer in iron. This plant was well known to the Mayan culture and is still available in some parts of Mexico. | |
| chayote | chah-YOH-teh | a green squash also referred to as a "vegetable pear" |  |
| chepil, chipilin | | A plant (Crotalaria spp.) used in southern Mexico cooking. Both the leaves and flours are used in soups, tamales and rice dishes. The plant grows wild in the rainy season but cultivated during the dry parts of the year. | |
| chícharo | CHEE-chah-roh | pea | |
| chicharrón | CHEE-chah-RROHN | crisp-fried pork rinds | |
| chicos | | Chicos in Spanish means "little ones". Chicos (the food) are small corn kernals that have been oven roasted and dried. Traditional preparations include chicos and frijoles as well as chicos with meat (pork) and chiles. | |
| chilaquiles | [chee-lah-KEE-lehs] | This dish is popular from the U.S. border all throughout Mexico and downward into Guatemala because it is a popular way to use stale corn tortillas.
Depending on the dish the tortillas are cut in strips or broken | |
| chile de agua | | A hot chile pepper grown in Oaxaca. The chile averages in size to be about 4" long and 1 1/4" wide. Used fresh as well as "asado" roasted, peeled and stuffed or cut into strips (rajas) or added to sauces. | |
| chilmole | | A paste made of chiles and spices. Also spelled chirmole. The mixture is traditionally prepared in a chirmolera (clay molcajete) | |
| chilocuil | | maguey worms | |
| chilorio | | A specialty of Sinaloa, Mexico, chilorio is a pork dish that is also used a filling for tacos, burritos, tamales or empanadas.
| |
| chimichangas | | A chimichanga is simply a burrito made with a flour tortilla which is folded then chilled to allow the edges to seal. The burrito is then fried until crisp. | |
| chipotle, chipocle | chee-POT-tleh, chee-POH-kleh | a smoked jalapeno chili |  |
| chirmolera | | An earthenware molcajete. Sometimes they are quite simple like a little bowl with legs and they can be more ornate with animal heads. See the read more to see a picture. | |
| churro | | Churros are long thin pastries typically made from flour, water, salt and sometimes egg. The batter is extruded in long narrow "ropes" and deep fried until browned then rolled in cinnamon and sugar. | |
| cilantro | | This member of the carrot family is also referred to as Chinese Parsley and Coriander. It is actually the leaves (and stems) of the Coriander plant. Cilantro has a very pungent odor and is widely used in Mexican, Caribbean and Asian cooking. The C | |
| cobre | | copper | |
| cocteles | | Cocktails | |
| corundas | | a triangular shaped tamale which is a specialty of Michoacan. They are very puffy and made with white corn. They are typically served with thick cream or a green tomato sauce. | |
| crudo | KROO-thoh | raw | |
| cuaresmeño | kwah-rehs-MEH-nyoh | another name for the jalapeno chile (literally means lenten) | |
| cuchara | koo-CHAH-rah | spoon | |
| cuchillo | koo-CHEE-yoh | knife | |
| cuitlacoche | kwee-tlah-KOH-cheh | (see huitlachoche) a corn fungus eaten like a mushroom or truffle. Also referred to as the Mexican Truffle or the Corn Truffle | |
