Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica — one of the oldest cooking techniques in Mexican cuisine; predates any equipment other than fire
Tatemada (from Nahuatl tlatema — to scorch) is the Mexican technique of charring tomatoes, tomatillos, onion, garlic, and chiles directly on a comal or in a dry skillet until blistered, blackened in patches, and softened. The char creates a Maillard reaction on the surface, adding bitter-sweet complexity and a roasted dimension impossible to achieve through gentle cooking. It is the foundation of Mexican salsa roja, moles, broths, and many stews. The contrast between charred surface and softened interior is the essential result.
Bitter-sweet complexity from char, smoky, roasted — the entire character of Mexican cooked salsas and broths depends on this technique
{"No oil — the tatemada technique requires dry, direct heat; oil creates frying, not charring","Turn the vegetables minimally — let the char develop on each surface before turning","The tomato should be collapsed and blackened in patches (not uniformly darkened)","Garlic should be charred in its skin — the skin protects the interior while the surface chars","Blend with all char included — the charred skin of tomatoes and chiles goes into the blender with the flesh"}
{"For gas stove: place tomatoes and chiles directly on the grate over medium-high flame — the tatemada effect on gas is faster and more intense than comal","The degree of char: some pieces should be 30–40% blackened; if everything is uniformly browned it is under-charred","Tatemada technique works equally well in a dry cast iron skillet at high heat — necessary for those without a gas burner","After blending tatemada-treated vegetables, fry the paste in hot lard — this is the double-cooking technique for maximum depth"}
{"Using oil — produces roasted vegetables, not charred tatemada","Under-charring — pale, gently cooked vegetables lack the bitter-sweet tatemada complexity","Peeling the charred skin from tomatoes before blending — the char in the skin is essential to the flavour","High heat with no patience — tatemada requires moderate-high heat and time, not maximum heat and speed"}
The Art of Mexican Cooking — Diana Kennedy; Truly Mexican — Roberto Santibañez