Esquites
Photo: Cristina Zapata Pérez · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

Esquites comes from the Nahuatl izquitl (toasted corn) and dates to Pre-Hispanic Mexico, where toasted maize was the traveller's food. The modern version uses fresh white corn boiled with the wild herb epazote and finished hot with mayonnaise, cotija and chile. The dish dominates the late afternoon and early evening across Mexico City sidewalks, from cart counters in Hipodromo Condesa to market vendors in Coyoacan, Roma and Jamaica.

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Oaxaca

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Oaxaca: Food and Markets Tour

Taste the real traditional food at Oaxaca's markets, which are some of the best places to try traditional Oaxacan cuisine. Try local Oaxacan food and...

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Common allergens: Egg, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 15 minTotal 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 6 ears fresh white corn, kernels cut off the cob
  • 1 small white onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Small handful fresh epazote leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Water to cover
  • Salt
  • 120g Mexican mayonnaise (Mexican mayo with lime is ideal)
  • 150g cotija cheese, crumbled (or Greek feta)
  • 1 teaspoon ground chile piquin
  • 2 limes, cut in wedges

Method

  1. Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the corn kernels and saute 5 minutes, stirring, until some begin to char and pop.
  2. Add the onion and garlic. Cook 2 minutes more.
  3. Add water to barely cover (about 250ml), the epazote and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes until the corn is tender and most of the liquid has reduced.
  4. Remove the epazote stems. Ladle the hot corn and a little broth into deep cups or bowls.
  5. Top each cup generously with mayonnaise (stir it through), crumbled cotija, a pinch of chile piquin and a big squeeze of lime. Eat with a spoon.

Tip from the editors. Use the freshest sweet corn you can find. If you can't find epazote, skip it rather than substitute; cilantro doesn't translate.

Where to eat esquites

Esquites in Mexico City

Esquites Don Fermin ★ 4.4

$ Street foodCondesa

Esquites Don Fermin in Mexico City is the Condesa Citlaltepetl evening cart where an esquite with mayo, cotija, chile and lime runs about 50 to 60 pesos.

TryEsquites cup with elote

Directions

Mercado de Coyoacan ★ 4.5

$ MarketCoyoacan

Mercado de Coyoacan in Mexico City is the southern neighbourhood market on Ignacio Allende near the Frida Kahlo Museum, a 350-vendor traditional market.

Directions

Mercado Roma ★ 4.3

$ MarketRoma Norte

Mercado Roma in Mexico City is the Roma Norte gourmet food hall on Queretaro, a three-floor market with 50-plus vendors covering Mexican, Italian, Venezuelan.

Directions

Mercado de la Merced ★ 4.4

$ MarketCentro Historico

Mercado de la Merced in Mexico City is the 1957 mega-market east of the Zocalo, the largest retail market in the city with 88,000 sq m and 5,525 vendors.

Directions

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