Tajín seasoning facts for kids
Tajín seasoning in a bowl
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| Type | Garnish, condiment, or ingredient |
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| Main ingredients | Chili, lime, salt |
Tajín Clásico, usually just called Tajín, is a popular Mexican spice mix. It's mostly made from lime, chili peppers, and salt. People use it on many different foods.
Contents
The Story of Tajín
The idea of mixing chili and lime is very old in traditional Mexican cuisine. Mexicans have used this flavor combination on fruits and vegetables for a long time.
How Tajín Was Created
Tajín Clásico was invented in 1985 by a person named Horacio Fernández. He wanted to make a powdered version of a special sauce his grandmother used to make. He named his new product after an ancient place called El Tajín. This is an old city built by people long ago in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Horacio visited it in 1985 and was very impressed. He also noticed that the word ají, which means chili, shared some letters with "Tajín."
Tajín Goes Global
Tajín Clásico first came to the United States in 1993. A factory was built in Houston, Texas. Soon, Tajín became a very common spice mix in Texas. In the 2000s, the company started selling Tajín in many other countries around the world.
What Is Tajín?
Tajín Clásico seasoning is the company's most popular product. It is a seasoning powder. It is made from ground chiles de árbol, guajillo chili, and pasilla chili. It also contains sea salt and dried lime.
Taste and Look
Tajín is a reddish powder that feels a bit grainy. It tastes sweet, salty, and sour all at once. It has a very mild heat from the chilis. The strong flavor of lime is usually the first thing you taste. The chili flavor is more subtle. When you sprinkle it on food, it gives dishes a reddish color. The grainy texture can also make food more interesting to eat.
How People Use Tajín
People use Tajín in many different ways. It can be a garnish (something added for decoration or flavor), a condiment (like ketchup or mustard), or an ingredient in a recipe. It works well in both sweet and savory dishes.
Popular Ways to Use It
Tajín is often used with fresh fruit, like watermelon or mango. But it's also great on vegetables, dips, and sauces. Some people even put it on desserts! It's used in drinks like micheladas, or to make the rim of a margarita glass tasty. You can also rub it on meats, chicken, or fish before cooking. Some people even use it instead of salt on omelets or popcorn.
Who Makes Tajín?
The company that makes Tajín is called Empresas Tajín. Horacio Fernández started the company in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 1985. At first, he sold the spice mix by going from store to store. Today, the company is located in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. Other companies, like Trader Joe's, Trechas, and Lawry's, also make similar spice mixes.
Images for kids
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Watermelon with Tajín
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Elotes with Tajín
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Mandarin oranges and popcorn, both sprinkled in Tajín
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Mango with Tajín from a vendor in Santa Monica, California
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Margarita rimmed with Tajín
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Similar Mexican Flavors
Mexican food has many other interesting flavor combinations.
- Chamoy is a sauce made from fermented fruit and chilis.
- Sal de gusano is a spice made with dried worms and chilis.
- Sal de chapulin is made with dried grasshoppers and ground chilis.
- Mexican cooking also has other flavored salts. There are many candies that are both sweet and hot or sour, like Brinquitos.
See also
In Spanish: Tajín (condimento) para niños
