Oregano, basil, peppermint, and cinnamon are a few of the familiar herbs many of us would have already encountered. However, many cultures worldwide use unique flavors and spices, such as epazote.
Epazote is a herb widely used in Mexico and Latin America. It has a strong, unique flavor and intense, interesting aroma. Typical Mexican dishes like mole sauce, bean stew, and quesadillas use epazote. It also has some medical benefits but can be toxic at high concentrations.
This article will explain epazote’s prominent role in Mexican cooking.
Keep reading to learn more about the epazote experience.
What Is Epazote?
Although epazote may sound new to you, and I’ve said that it’s more common in Mexico, this spice has already found its way to the United States, Canada, and other nations.
It is even popular in West Africa.
Epazote is an herb used for cooking and traditional medicine. Its scientific name is Dysphania ambrosioides or Chenopodium ambrosioides, but it is also commonly known as Mexican tea, Jesuit’s tea, or wormseed. The herb’s unique taste is similar to a mix of spices like cilantro, anise, and camphor.
Depending on the climate, epazote can be seasonal or perennial.
But even so, it can be effortless to grow and may even be invasive if left unattended.
History of Epazote
Epazote was very relevant to Mexico and Latin America’s history and culture.
It was widely used for its medicinal benefits and was incorporated into cuisine for them.
For instance, it is known to contain carminatives. These compounds help in intestinal problems, like flatulence.
Thus, epazote was combined with recipes containing beans to aid in flatulence.
Beans have proteins our bodies find hard to digest, leading to flatulence.
With epazote, digestion of these foods is better, reducing notorious gas.
Aside from flatulence, epazote also helps with eliminating parasites and tapeworms, especially in children.
It was drunk as tea or mixed with milk and sugar. The herb was even used as an early form of birth control.
Its seeds and fruit were used as a pain reliever.
It can be seen how important the roles epazote has played in Mexican civilizations.
Because of that, it was sometimes introduced intentionally to other countries.
However, because it is also invasive, it sometimes ends up in nations without being put there on purpose.
What Are the Uses of Epazote?
For this section, I’ll expound more on its present uses, which are still similar to its historical purposes.
The uses of epazote in the present day include cooking, essential oils, and traditional medicine. However, it must be used sparingly in whichever application. The herb can be toxic and may even cause death if consumed excessively.
Cooking
Many traditional Mexican dishes make use of epazote.
Examples of such are:
- Tamales
- Salsa
- Caldo Tlalpeño
- Mole sauce
- Enchiladas
- Black bean dishes
The epazote’s stems or leaves are used and may either be fresh or dried.
However, it is used sparingly since, in large amounts, it can be toxic and even fatal.
Moreover, it has a strong flavor and aroma that may be too much for some individuals if added in excess.
Essential Oils
As for essential oils application, carminative (which I’ve mentioned already) is the compound of interest.
Other components include ascaridole, monoterpenes, and camphor. However, these oils must not be consumed.
There can be harmful concentrations of toxins, such as ascaridole, present.
Medicinal
Present studies have explored the medicinal benefits of epazote.
Studies have found it effective against the following:
- Tapeworm
- Roundworm
- Hookworm
- Whipworm
However, it has also been found that the doses effective against worms are high enough to be toxic to humans.
Besides treating intestinal problems and parasites, epazote is also used to relieve dysmenorrhea and asthma.
It is also used against malaria and fungi.
Toxic Effects of Epazote
Here are some symptoms of poisoning from consuming excess epazote and its seeds:
- Gastroenteritis
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Pain
- Hallucinations
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Coma
- Death
You can avoid these effects by avoiding excessive consumption of epazote and self-medication.
Seek medical advice if you have any symptoms or ailments.
Epazote Recipe: Mole Verde
The mole is a beloved and iconic Mexican dish.
Indeed, they say it’s no Mexican party without mole, and a mole with epazote certainly makes a party even greater.
For this recipe, I’ll be basing it on Rick Bayless’ Mole Verde or Green Mole recipe.
He is a chef specializing in Mexican cuisine.
What Is Mole?
Mole translates to sauce. There are many varieties of mole, such as mole negro, mole verde, and guacamole. It may contain fruits, nuts, and different herbs and spices. Mole can be served with dishes like meat or seafood.
Ingredients
- 6 ounce (.17 kg) poblano chile
- 1 pound (.45 kg) tomatillos (husked and cut in halves)
- 4 cloves garlic (peeled and halved)
- 1 small white onion (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
- 2 cups (473 ml) water
- ⅓ cup (19 g) sesame seeds (untoasted)
- ½ cup (32 g) pumpkin seeds (toasted); add more for garnish
- 1 cup (64 g) fresh mixed herbs (epazote, radish leaves, parsley, cilantro, lettuce leaves); add more for garnish
- ¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) cumin seeds (freshly ground)
- ½ teaspoon (3 g) black peppercorns (freshly ground)
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) Mexican oregano
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable or olive oil
Directions
- Roast the poblano using an open flame or hot broiler.
- Cool the poblano, then remove blackened skin, seed pod, and stem. Rinse, then chop.
- In a saucepan, combine the tomatillos, garlic, and onion.
- Add water and salt. Allow the mixture to boil.
- Over medium heat, wait for tomatillos to lose their bright, green color. Flip the tomatillos after around 3 to 4 minutes.
- Cook sesame seeds in a dry pan until light gold color while waiting for the tomatillos.
- Place the roasted poblano, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, mixed herbs, spices, and oregano in a blender.
- Add the tomatillos into the blender once cooked and ready. Do not include the liquid when doing so. Instead, keep the liquid in a separate container; you will use it later.
- Blend the mixture until smooth.
- After blending, you need to cook the mole. Heat a saucepan over medium heat, then add oil.
- Heat the oil, then add the puree. Stir the mixture continuously. It will reduce and thicken.
- Add the liquid from the tomatillos, then lower the heat.
- Partially cover and let it simmer for around 20 minutes. Keep the sauce from sticking by stirring regularly.
- If the mole is too thick, add water. Also, add salt to taste.
- Once cooked, remove the mole and serve over roasted chayote, chicken, seafood, or vegetables.
You can also watch Rick Bayless’ YouTube video where he cooks the mole verde:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EgGdz17mH4
Final Epazote Thoughts
Epazote is a unique-tasting herb from Latin America.
It is used for cooking, essential oils, and medicinal applications.
Mole, such as mole verde or green mole, is a dish one can cook with epazote.
The mole can be served with roasted vegetables, chicken, and seafood.
Sources
- University of Illinois Extension: Epazote
- Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners: Epazote
- Wikipedia: Dysphania ambrosioides
- Mexico In My Kitchen: What Is Epazote, and How Do You Use It?
- thisNZlife: What is epazote? Meet the pungent secret to Mexican cooking: How to grow it and cook with it
- Honest Food: Epazote: Mexico’s Mystery Herb
- 2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection: Epazote
- Victoriana Nursery Gardens: Epazote Plant
- Science Direct: Toxicological Survey of African Medicinal Plants
- NC State Extension: Dysphania ambrosioides
- YouTube: Rick Bayless Mole: Green Mole
- Frontera: Green Mole With Roasted Chayote (Or Other Vegetables)
More Mexican Foods
See all →
Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.