La bodega y el vegetariano: palate-pleasing shopping and cooking sin carne.

LATIN AMERICAN CUISINE BOASTS BOLD, COMFORTING flavors with incredibly diverse and amazingly versatile ingredients. Chiles of all levels of spice infuse sweet chocolate. Mild and substantial root vegetables are seasoned with light but surprisingly powerful marinades of garlic and lemon.

While most standard components of Latin cooking can be found in any well-stocked supermarket, there is a variety of products and produce to be discovered in a bodega, or Latino market. Though Latin American cuisine is largely meat-based, the variety of vegetarian ingredients in a Latino grocery store coupled with a few items from your local natural foods store is more than enough to create countless delicious vegan meals without sacrificing authentic flavor.

One thing to be especially vigilant about when looking at packaged foods, even when they appear to be vegetarian, is whether they contain lard or other types of animal fat. Many canned foods might contain it, especially certain brands of refried beans. Some brands of enchilada sauce contain chicken fat. Goya brand is normally pretty safe; their refried beans use vegetable oil, and their condiments, if containing animal products, are well-labeled.

Latino markets are a paradise of flavor, so omitting meat from a recipe can easily be made up for with a plethora of chiles and spices that enhance a dish in such a way that all the qualities of the original dish are still present. For example, chipotle peppers (found dried or canned) can be used when a recipe calls for ham or ham hock; their smoky-sweet flavor works as a beautiful replacement. But be careful! A little goes a long way.

Also, canela, a cinnamon-type spice used in many Mexican dishes, can be added to a dish that requires beef. It is milder than traditional cinnamon, but it has the rich and subtly sweet flavor that beef provides in some dishes.

Following are a few more ingredients that are found in most Latino markets, along with some popular ways to use them. These recipes will familiarize you with both your local Latino supermarket and the flavors of Latin cooking. Try these dishes and then begin experimenting on your own!

GUANABANA (SOURSOUP), MANGO, MARACUJA (PASSION FRUIT), Y PAPAYA

These are all popular tropical fruits of Latin America. Mango and papaya can often be found in any supermarket, but they rarely taste as good as the ones you find in a Latino market. Plus, you can get all of these as frozen fruit pulps at a Latino market, making it easy to prepare yourself a quick, refreshing batido--no peeling, no pitting.

BATIDO DE FRUTAS (FRUIT MILK SHAKE)
(Serves 2)

A twist on the typical smoothie.

1 cup soymilk
1/2 cup vanilla-flavored soy ice cream
3/4 cup frozen tropical fruit pulp
Sugar (Use your favorite vegan variety.) or other sweetener to taste
3/4 cup melted ice

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until
smooth. Serve immediately.

Total calories per serving: 159
Carbohydrates: 28 grams
Sodium: 83 milligrams
Fat: 4 grams
Protein: 5 grams
Fiber: 3 grams

QUINUA (QUINOA)

A high protein grain originating in northern Chile or Peru, where the Incas first domesticated it. Long hailed as a high-energy food, cooked quinua can be added to nearly any dish, providing a unique texture and a light, nutty taste.

COLD QUINUA SALAD
(Serves 4)

Perfect for a summer picnic or
outdoor barbeque!

1/2 cup quinua or quinoa
3 cups water
One 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1 cup cooked sweet corn kernels, drained
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (all white
  parts and approximately 1 Tablespoon
  of the green parts)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup red wine vinegar or rice vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4-1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Place quinua in a fine mesh strainer
and rinse under cold water until
water runs clear. In a saucepan,
bring water to a boil, add quinua,
and cook until completely translucent.
This will take approximately
10 minutes. Once cooked, drain
the quinua and return it to the
saucepan. Cook quinua on low
for approximately 3 minutes.
Pour into a large bowl. Add black
beans, corn, and vegetables and
toss with the quinua.

In a non-reactive bowl, whisk
together the olive oil, mustard,
vinegar, salt, and pepper to make
the vinaigrette. Pour over salad.
Toss in cilantro and serve.

Note: This salad will keep for
a week or so in the refrigerator.
It will, in fact, become more flavorful
as time goes on and the
quinua, beans, and vegetables
marinate in the vinaigrette.

Total calories per serving: 354
Carbohydrates: 45 grams
Sodium: 601 milligrams
Fat: 16 grams
Protein: 11 grams
Fiber: 11 grams

CALABAZA

Calabaza can be loosely translated as pumpkin, but in reality, it is an entirely different vegetable. While it can replace pumpkin or acorn squash in most recipes and vice versa, calabaza has a flavor all its own. You can get it at most Latino markets year-round, but it is best in season, during the fall or winter. It is usually sold in pre-cut wedges.

SOPA DE CALABAZA
(PUREED PUMPKIN SOUP)
(Serves 4)

Good for days when you can see
your breath.

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or canela
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
3/4 Tablespoon molasses
Water as needed
1/2 pound calabaza, peeled, cleaned, and
  cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 garlic doves, dropped
1 quart vegetable broth or vegetarian
  chicken-flavored broth (available
  at natural foods stores)
Salt and pepper to lade
1/2 cup soymilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small saucepan, toast the
cumin, cilantro, cayenne, and
canela on medium-low heat for
approximately 1 minute, shaking
periodically to prevent burning.
When spices become fragrant,
add olive oil, brown sugar, and
molasses to the saucepan, stirring
constantly over medium heat, and
adding water slowly until all ingredients
are uniformly combined.
The mixture should take on a
syrupy quality. Pour the mixture
into a medium mixing bowl and
toss in calabaza. Coat the calabaza
in the spiced oil and spread out
on a sheet pan covered with foil.
Bake until caramelized and soft,
approximately 30 minutes.

Coat the bottom of a dutch
oven in oil and saute onions and
garlic over medium-low heat until
onions are soft and translucent.
Add calabaza, broth, salt, and
pepper and simmer over low heat
for 15-20 minutes, uncovered.

Remove from heat and ladle
soup in batches into a food processor
or blender. Puree until smooth.
Ladle mixture back into pot and
stir in soymilk. Heat for 1 minute
over low heat and serve.

Total calories per serving: 356
Carbohydrates: 23 grams
Sodium: 471 milligrams
Fat: 29 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Fiber: 2 grams

NOPALES (CACTUS)

These paddle-shaped parts of the prickly pear cactus are high in fiber and delicious grilled over the barbeque. To prepare nopales, cut approximately half an inch off each end of the paddle and shear off needles with a paring knife or vegetable peeler. Then, rinse under cold water.

NOPALES CON PICO DE
GALLO (CACTUS WITH
CHOPPED TOMATOES,
ONIONS, GARLIC, AND
CILANTRO)
(Serves 6)

Delicious alone as a salad or in
quesadillas, burritos, or anything
else that needs a tangy kick.

4 small or 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (For less spice,
  de-vein the pepper and throw away
  seeds.)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 garlic dove, minced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 medium-sized nopales
Salt and pepper to tom
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or rice vinegar

In a large bowl, combine tomatoes,
onions, jalapenos, and cilantro.

Prepare the barbeque with
a medium-high heat. Combine
garlic and half of the oil in a mixing
bowl. Brush nopales with oil
and garlic mixture and season with
salt and pepper. Grill over barbeque
until limp, approximately 5
minutes on each side. Cut into
thick strips and toss into tomato
mixture. Pour in remaining oil
and vinegar, mix, and serve.

Note: Like the Cold Quinua Salad
(page 19), this dish keeps well,
soaking up flavor as time goes on.

Total calories per serving: 125
Carbohydrates: 5 grams
Sodium: 11 milligrams
Fat: 11 grams
Protein: 1 gram
Fiber: 1 gram

YUCA (YUCCA)

A fibrous root vegetable, white in color and very mild tasting. Yuca soaks up any flavor added to it, making it very easy to work with. You can find this in bags of frozen chunks at your Latino grocery store.

YUCA CON SALSA DE AJO
(YUCCA GARLIC SAUCE)
(Serves 6)

A combination of bold spring and
summer flavors with the warm mildness
of winter comfort food, this dish
is satisfying any time of year.

Water to cover yuca in large pot
Juice of 1 1/2 lemons, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
One 8-ounce bag frozen yuca
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 doves crushed garlic

In a large pot, mix enough water
to cover the yuca, the juice of half
a lemon, and half the salt. Bring
to a boil. Add the yuca and cook
until soft. Drain and set aside in
a medium-sized bowl.

In a small saucepan, heat the
oil on high. When it is very hot,
turn off the stove and add the
garlic. It will cook in the residual
heat of the pan. When the garlic
is cooked (approximately 5 minutes),
add the juice of a whole
lemon and the remaining salt.
Cook over low heat for another
2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour garlic sauce over yuca
and serve.

Note: This dish lasts about 3 days
in the refrigerator.

Total calories per serving: 168
Carbohydrates: 16 grams
Sodium: 200 milligrams
Fat: 11 grams
Protein: 1 gram
Fiber: 1 gram

PLANTANOS (PLANTAINS)

Resembling a large banana, plantanos are used almost everywhere in Latin America. Like any starchy plant, though, they shouldn't be eaten raw. They can be cooked at any stage of ripeness--when they are green they are savory, when they are black they are sweet. They can be baked or fried with no flavoring, but add some salt and oil for a delicious side dish. Though you can find plantanos at most supermarkets, Latino markets usually have higher quality ones. Plantanos can take up to two weeks to ripen fully, depending on how green they are. You can speed up the process by letting them ripen in a paper bag.

PLANTANOS MADUROS
ASADOS (BAKED RIPE
PLANTAINS)
(Serves 4)

This recipe stuffs the plantains with
guava paste and cracker meal, but
you can stuff them with anything
from refried beans and vegan mozzarella
cheese to roasted red peppers.
Or even just have them plain.

Guava paste can also be found
in a Latino market. Goya makes a
very good one. It comes in a rectangular
slab approximately a foot long.

4 very ripe plantanos or plantains
4 Tablespoons cracker meal (molly found
  next to the bread crumbs in most
  supermarkets)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon canola oil
4 slices guava paste (approximately
  a centimeter in width)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Trim and discard the ends of
the plantanos. Do not peel. Place
the rest of the fruit in a shallow
baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
While plantanos bake, mix the
cracker meal and salt with oil until
the oil is uniformly distributed.

Remove pan from oven.
Holding a plantano with a pot
holder, use a sharp knife to make
a lengthwise slit in the skin. Peel
and split lengthwise to the heart.
Remove the black center strip and
fill the space with a slice of guava
paste and 1 Tablespoon of the
cracker meal mixture. Repeat with
the other three plantanos. Place
pan back in oven and bake a few
minutes until cracker meal begins
to turn golden brown. Serve hot.

Note: This dish keeps for 2-3 days
in the refrigerator.

Total calories per serving: 296
Carbohydrates: 68 grams
Sodium: 155 milligrams
Fat: 4 grams
Protein: 3 grams
Fiber: 4 grams

Cecilia Peterson wrote this article while doing an internship with The Vegetarian Resource Group.