Comal temperature management

Pan-Mesoamerican — the comal predates the Aztec civilisation; clay comales found in archaeological sites dating 3,000 years

The comal (flat griddle) is the most essential piece of equipment in Mexican cooking — used for tortillas, antojitos, charring chiles and aromatics, toasting dried chiles and seeds, and finishing masa preparations. Comal management is a skill: a cold comal produces steamed, pale food; a too-hot comal burns before cooking through. Different materials (clay barro, cast iron, steel) have different heat properties. A seasoned clay comal produces a different char and flavour than cast iron. Temperature control is assessed by water drop (sizzle) and visual observation.

The comal does not have a flavour — it imparts char, smoke, and the Maillard reaction to whatever is cooked on it