Achiote pasta (Yucatecan annatto spice paste)

Yucatán, Mexico — Maya cooking tradition; achiote was used for colour and preservation before Spanish contact

Achiote paste (recado rojo) is the defining spice paste of Yucatecan cooking — made from dried annatto seeds (achiote) ground with cumin, dried Mexican oregano, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, and vinegar into a firm paste. It provides both the distinctive orange-red colour and the earthy, slightly peppery, aromatic flavour of Yucatecan cooking. Used as the base for cochinita pibil, poc chuc, and stew chicken. Commercial versions (brick or paste) are available, but freshly ground produces distinctly superior flavour.

Earthy, peppery, subtly floral from annatto — the flavour is mild but distinctive; the colour (orange-red) is visually transformative