Mexican cuisine is the perfect blend of ancient Mayan and Aztec staples including beans, corn, chile peppers and tomatoes with newer ingredients such as spices, herbs, wheat and dairy foods, which were introduced by the Spanish conquerors. Despite new introductions over the years, authentic Mexican cuisine has stayed true to its ancient techniques and ingredients, which cannot be replaced or substituted.

Here’s what you are likely to find in any authentic Mexican pantry.

Corn: Called nixtamal, which means ‘Gift of the Gods’, Maize is the mainstay of Mexican cuisine and appears in almost every dish from tortillas, enchiladas and tamales to tacos, soups, stews and even desserts.

Rice: As important as corn in Mexican cuisine, rice or arroz is the base of many Mexican dishes. Arroz con pollo, a rice-based chicken casserole is among the most popular and widely recognized of Mexican dishes around the world.

Dried Beans: Called Frijoles in Mexico, dried beans are another Mexican staple. They can be eaten any time of the day either as the main dish or as an accompaniment to the main dish. Frijoles are often prepared simply by simmering in water with fresh native herbs such as epazote.

Tortillas: Prepared by turning corn or wheat flour into a dough, which is then shaped into tiny, very thin cakes. Tortillas are versatile and can be deep-fried as chimichangas; filled, rolled and baked as enchiladas or eaten like tacos stuffed with meats, beans and rice.

Chile peppers: Mexican cuisine incorporates sixty different varieties of chile peppers from the fiery-hot habañeros to the mild-tasting Anaheims. Smoked and dried jalapeños, known as chipotle, provide the distinctive flavor of the adobo sauce whereas stuffed poblano chilies are used in Chiles Rellenos, a popular Mexican main course.

Avocado: Sliced avocados add extra flavor to many soups whereas mashed avocados are the main ingredient in guacamole. Even the leaves of the avocado plant find use in several Mexican dishes.

Tomatoes: Used in fresh as well as cooked salsas and in a variety of stews and rice dishes, tomatoes are a favorite addition to several Mexican dishes.

Tomatillo: Also called husk tomatoes because of the thin husk covering, boiled or roasted tomatillos impart a tart taste to salsas and fish or meat dishes.

Jicama: A root vegetable, with a crisp texture similar to raw potato, Jicama has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and can be eaten boiled, steamed, baked or fried. It can also be eaten raw in salads.

Cilantro: Fresh cilantro, which is the green leaves of the coriander plant, is a must in every salsa. When used in cooked dishes, it is added just before serving as it tends to lose its flavor if cooked too long.

Chayote Squash: This pale green, mild-flavored squash can be eaten raw, fried, pickled or stuffed.

Garlic: Garlic adds a distinctive flavor to marinades, soups and sauces and is used to flavor almost every Mexican dish.

Citrus: Introduced to the Mexicans by the Spanish conquerors, bitter Seville oranges, limes and lemons are integral to several Mexican dishes from tortilla soups to salsas and ceviches. Small Mexican limes are used to give corn and meat dishes a zing that would have been otherwise missing.

Even if you don't have Mexican ingredients you can create a Mexican feel with these Mexican cupcake toppers from our edible cake topper range.