Like my grandmother use to make: Salsa de Tomatillo

Nov 30

For those of us far from our ancestral homelands, connecting to heritage is an act of resilience, joy, and community. This piece explores Melissa Espinoza’s connection to food, the role it plays in preserving Mexican culture, and how culinary traditions bridge the gap between past and present – even in Glasgow.

By Dr. Melissa Espinoza | Photo by Steve Huang – NC – ND 2.0

My migration story spans generations. Both my parents were born in Mexico, while I was born and raised in the US. I was fortunate to grow up in a community enriched by South and Central American diasporas. For those of us not living in our ancestral homelands, creating and connecting to our cultural identity is often an intentional act of survival and resilience. However, connection to our heritage is also about joy, preserving generational knowledge, and finding purpose and community. We connect to our roots through language, dance, music, clothing, jewellery, storytelling, cultivation, and food.

Food is my favourite way to connect with my family, home, heritage, and ancestors. Through food, we learn about cultures and their historical relationship with the land. Mexican cuisine is rich with history and flavours. It’s an integral part of many communities within the US and has become increasingly trendy internationally. More and more taco, birria, and burrito restaurants are opening up across Glasgow.

Mexican food’s growing popularity isn’t by chance. In 2010, UNESCO recognised Mexican cuisine as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Mexican food is diverse, unique, and a reflection of the land before colonialism and its adaptations after colonisation. It is a fusion of Indigenous brilliance in cultivation and flavours with Spanish foodways. UNESCO’s recognition serves as a reminder of the historical and cultural importance of Mexican cuisine and the need to preserve its traditional ingredients and methods.

I don’t think the average person considers the vast diversity of Mexico’s land, peoples, and cuisine. Different dishes are made differently across Mexico, varying from state to state. There is a menu beyond tacos, burritos, and birria that I hope Govanhill gets to experience. A menu reflecting some of the first domesticated crops in the world, such as the tomatillo (Mexican husk tomato). The word “tomatillo” itself, like many Mexican ingredients, gets its name from an Indigenous language;tomatillo (tomatl) means little tomato in Nahuatl (an Uto Aztec language still spoken by a million people).

My mother makes salsa like her mother used to. Salsas can be used to marinate your meat, the base of soup, as a topping, or as a side dip. When she roasts red dried peppers on the hob for her salsa, it can feel like getting maced, but honestly it’s worth it. I decided to share her Salsa de Tomatillo recipe (green salsa – no red peppers here). You can get canned tomatillos at Shawland Continental, Lupe Pintos, or if you time it right Bowling Green Together in Pollokshields grow some in their garden. Fresh is best!

Ingredients:

6-8 tomatillos
3 cloves garlic
2 jalapeño pepper (or medium serranos), stemmed and seeded
½ cup white onion, diced
¼ cup fresh coriander leaves and tender stems, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon water
Pinch of sugar
½ lime

Instructions:

Prepare the tomatillos: If you are using them from a can, drain them (then skip to step 2). If they are fresh, peel the husk and wash them.
Roast the veggies: You can do this in a roasting pan in the oven (180°C), or over the hob, or an airfryer. Roast the tomatillos, garlic, jalapeño, and onion together (approximately 15 minutes) until the skin is charred and softened.
Blend ingredients: In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatillos, garlic, jalapeño, onion, coriander, salt, and water. Blend until smooth. If you like a chunkier texture, pulse the ingredients to your desired consistency.
Adjust seasoning: Taste the salsa and adjust the seasoning as needed. You can add more of any ingredient to taste.

Tips: