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Tlacoyo

What: This pre-Hispanic torpedo-shaped masa snack, very common in D.F., is stuffed with things like beans—often refried black beans or aba, fava beans—or cheese (requesón, usually) or chicharrón before getting thrown onto a hot comal, or circular griddle. Traditionally they’re eaten hot with salsa, cilantro, and crumbly cotija cheese, but many vendors offer a wide variety of other toppings, including nopales, lettuce, onion, potato, quelite (a leafy wild green), huitlacoche (corn fungus), and flor de calabaza (squash blossom).

Where: Our blue-cornmeal tlacoyo came from a stand at the Tianguis Condesa (temporary market in Condesa, Agustin Melgar at Pachuca, map), a wonderful market of beautiful fresh produce (we suggest you take advantage of the fruit and nut samples whenever possible) and some very solid food vendors.

When: This particular market is held on Tuesdays from around 9am-5pm. There’s another tianguis in Condesa every Friday in another location.

Order: We had our fava bean-stuffed tlacoyo topped with nopales and cheese (12p), and made generous use of the onion, cilantro, and salsa available. Watch the making of these tlacoyos here.

Alternatively: You can find these all around town; markets like Mercado Coyoacán (three blocks north of Jardín Hidalgo, at Calles Allende & Malintzin, map) in Coyoacán and Roma Sur’s Mercado de Medellín (betw. Medellín, Campeche, Monterrey, and Coahuila, map) are usually good bets.

Good to know: Look for vendors making these fresh and to order. Tlacoyos can get very dry the longer they sit on the comal.