''Pico de gallo'' (; ), also called ''salsa fresca'' ('fresh sauce'), ''salsa bandera'' ('flag sauce'), and ''salsa cruda'' ('raw sauce'), is a type of salsa commonly used in

Mexican cuisine Mexican cuisine consists of the cuisines and associated traditions of the modern country of Mexico. Its earliest roots lie in Mesoamerican Cuisine, Mesoamerican cuisine. Mexican cuisine's ingredients and methods arise from the area's first agr ...

. It is traditionally made from chopped

tomato The tomato (, ), ''Solanum lycopersicum'', is a plant whose fruit is an edible Berry (botany), berry that is eaten as a vegetable. The tomato is a member of the nightshade family that includes tobacco, potato, and chili peppers. It originate ...

onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' , from Latin ), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classifie ...

, and

serrano pepper The serrano pepper (''Capsicum annuum'') is a type of chili pepper that originated in the mountainous regions of the Mexican states of Puebla and Hidalgo. The Scoville rating of the serrano pepper is 10,000 to 25,000. The name of the peppe ...

s ( jalapeños or habaneros may be used as alternatives), with salt, lime juice, and cilantro. ''Pico de gallo'' can be used in much the same way as Mexican liquid salsas. Because it contains less liquid, it also can be used as a main ingredient in dishes such as

taco A taco (, , ) is a traditional Mexican cuisine, Mexican dish consisting of a small hand-sized corn tortilla, corn- or Flour tortilla, wheat-based tortilla topped with a Stuffing, filling. The tortilla is then folded around the filling and fing ...

s and fajitas. The tomato-based variety is widely known as ''salsa picada'' (' minced/chopped

sauce In cooking, a sauce is a liquid, cream, or semi- solid food, served on or used in preparing other foods. Most sauces are not normally consumed by themselves; they add flavour, texture, and visual appeal to a dish. ''Sauce'' is a French wor ...

'). In Mexico it is normally called ''salsa mexicana'' ('Mexican sauce'). Because the colors of the red tomato, white onion, and green chili and cilantro are reminiscent of the colors of the Mexican flag, it is also called ''salsa bandera'' ('flag sauce'). In many regions of Mexico the term ''pico de gallo'' describes any of a variety of

salad A salad is a dish consisting of mixed ingredients, frequently vegetables. They are typically served chilled or at room temperature, though some can be served warm. Condiments called '' salad dressings'', which exist in a variety of flavors, a ...

s (including fruit salads), salsa, or fillings made with

, tomatillo,

avocado The avocado, alligator pear or avocado pear (''Persea americana'') is an evergreen tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae). It is native to Americas, the Americas and was first domesticated in Mesoamerica more than 5,000 years ago. It was priz ...

, orange, jícama, cucumber, papaya, or mild chilis. The ingredients are tossed in lime juice and optionally with either

hot sauce Hot sauce is a type of condiment, seasoning, or salsa (sauce), salsa made from chili peppers and other ingredients. Many commercial varieties of Mass production, mass-produced hot sauce exist. History Humans have used chili peppers and other ho ...

or chamoy, then sprinkled with a salty chili powder.

Etymology

Many native residents of the Sonoran Mexico region explain that the salsa is thus named because the

resembles a rooster's beak in shape. According to food writer Sharon Tyler Herbst, ''pico de gallo'' ('rooster's beak') is named thus because originally people ate it by pinching pieces between the

thumb The thumb is the first digit of the hand, next to the index finger. When a person is standing in the medical anatomical position (where the palm is facing to the front), the thumb is the outermost digit. The Medical Latin English noun for thumb ...

and forefinger. In their book ''Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico'', Rick Bayless and Deann Groen speculate that the name might allude to the bird-feed—like texture and appearance of the mince.Bayless, Rick; Groen, Deann. ''Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pico De Gallo Condiments Costa Rican cuisine Cuisine of the Southwestern United States Mexican cuisine Mexican garnish New Mexican cuisine Salads Spanish words and phrases Tex-Mex cuisine Tomato dishes Vegetable dishes Vegan cuisine

Etymology

See also

References