Enchilada

Anenchilada(/ˌɛntʃɪˈlɑːdə/,Spanish:[entʃiˈlaða]) is aMexicandish consisting of acorn tortillarolled around a filling and covered with a savory sauce. Enchiladas can be filled with various ingredients, including meats, cheese, beans, potatoes, vegetables, or combinations. Enchilada sauces includechili-based sauces, such assalsa roja, variousmoles,tomatillo-based sauces, such assalsa verde, or cheese-based sauces, such aschile con queso.
TheRoyal Spanish Academydefines the wordenchilada, as used in Mexico, as a rolledmaizetortillastuffed with meat and covered with atomatoandchilisauce.Enchiladais the past participle of theMexican Spanishenchilar, "to addchili pepperto"; literally, "to season (or decorate) with chili".
Enchiladas originated in Mexico, where the practice of rolling tortillas around other food dates back at least toAztectimes.The people living in the lake region of theValley of Mexicotraditionally ate corn tortillas folded or rolled around small fish. Writing at the time of the Spanish conquistadors,Bernal Díaz del Castillodocumented a feast enjoyed by Europeans hosted byHernán CortésinCoyoacán, which included foods served in corn tortillas. (Note that the nativeNahuatlname for the flat corn bread used wastlaxcalli; the Spanish gave it the nametortilla.)TheNahuatlword for enchilada ischīllapītzalli[t͡ʃiːlːapiːˈt͡salːi], which is formed of the Nahuatl word for "chili",chīlli[ˈt͡ʃiːlːi]and the Nahuatl word for "flute",tlapītzalli[t͡ɬapiːˈt͡salːi].In the 19th century, as Mexican cuisine was being memorialized, enchiladas were mentioned in the first Mexican cookbook,El cocinero mexicano("The Mexican Chef"), published in 1831,and in Mariano Galvan Rivera'sDiccionario de Cocina, published in 1845.
In their original form as Mexican street food, enchiladas were simply corn tortillas dipped inchilisauce and eaten without fillings.There are now many varieties, which are distinguished primarily by their sauces, fillings and, in one instance, by their form. Various adjectives may be used to describe the recipe content or origin, e.g.enchilada tapatiawould be arecipefromJalisco.
Varieties include:
Fillings includemeat(e.g.beef,poultry,pork,seafood) orcheese,potatoes,vegetables,beans,tofu, and any combination thereof. Enchiladas are commonly topped or garnished withcheese,sour cream,lettuce,olives, choppedonions,chili peppers, slicedavocado, andsalsa, or freshcilantro.
InCosta Rica, the enchilada is a common, small, spicy pastry made withpuff pastryand filled with diced potatoes spiced with a common variation ofTabasco sauceor other similar sauces. Other variations include fillings made of spicy chicken or minced meat.
InHonduras, enchiladas look and taste very different from those in Mexico; they are not corn tortillas rolled around a filling, but instead are flat, fried, corn tortillas  topped with ground beef, salad toppings (usually consisting of cabbage and tomato slices), a tomato sauce (often ketchup blended with butter and other spices such as cumin), and crumbled or shredded cheese. They look and taste much like what many people call atostada.
InNicaragua, enchiladas are different from the other ones in Central America and resemble those in Mexico; they are corn tortillas filled with a mixture of ground beef and rice with chili, they are then folded and covered in egg batter and deep fried. It is commonly served with a cabbage and tomato salad (either pickled salad or in cream and tomato sauce). The Nicaraguan enchilada resembles theempanadaof other countries.
InGuatemala, enchiladas look much like Honduran enchiladas but the recipe is different. This version most commonly begins with a leaf of fresh lettuce, then a layer of 'picado de carne,' which includes meat (generally ground beef, shredded chicken, or pork) and diced vegetables (carrot, potato, onion, celery, green bean, peas, red bell pepper, garlic, bay leaf, seasoned with salt and black pepper). The next layer in the recipe is the 'curtido' layer which includes more vegetables (cabbage, beets, onions, and carrots). After this is two or three pieces of sliced hard boiled egg, then thin sliced white onion, and finally a drizzle of mild red salsa. The dish is topped with either queso seco or queso fresco and garnished withcilantro.