Mesoamerican cuisine is the culinary tradition of the region spanning modern-day Mexico and Central America, rooted in the ancient cooking of civilizations such as the Maya, Aztec, and Olmec.
Its foundation is the "three sisters": maize, beans, and squash, supplemented by chili peppers, tomatoes, and avocado. Maize in particular is central, ground and used for tortillas, tamales, and other corn-based foods, traditionally on a stone metate and cooked on a flat comal griddle. Common techniques include pit-roasting and steaming in banana or corn-husk leaves.
Signature dishes include tacos, mole (a complex sauce built on chili peppers and often chocolate), tamales, and ceviche, in which raw fish is "cooked" by the acid in citrus juice. A wide range of chili peppers, from mild jalapeno to fiery habanero, define much of the region's heat and flavor.
Mesoamerican cuisine continues to influence global cooking today, most visibly through corn- and chili-based dishes that have spread well beyond the region.