Wild game and domesticated fowl were common and root vegetables, corn beans, tomatoes, squash and other vegetables were eaten as individual dishes or combined in thick stews and soups. But most of the basic foods developed and enjoyed by the ancients persist in the mexican cuisine of today. For centuries, beans provided ancient Americans with their primary source of protein. Centuries ago, indigenous people learned how to preserve beans by drying them. They were then cooked slowly with water, meat and herbs in large clay pots a method which has changed hardly at all over the years.
Chiles are another staple with ancient roots.
A number of varieties were cultivated by the early Aztecs who used them to cook and season wild game. Later they became a primary ingredient of the rich, spicy sauces use to accompany any number of dishes. And, of course, some varieties are still stuffed, cooked and eaten as a main course. Modern Mexican cuisine includes countless preparations of chicken, beef, pork, veal, lamb and seafood. Turkey, rabbit, duck, pigeons and turtledoves were hunted and trapped in other areas.