• Cumin flavors many dishes in Southwestern cuisine.graines de cumin image by rachid amrous-spleen from Fotolia.com
  
  Southwestern cooking, best known for its spicy flavoring, encapsulates styles from Southern California, New Mexico and Texas. Its use of the chili separates it from all other styles of cooking, making it uniquely Spanish and Native American in origin. Common ingredients of Southwestern cuisine include beans, corn, flour tortillas, pork and avocado.
  
  

Epazote

• Native to Central America, epazote commonly flavors beans, corn and fish. This Mexican herb tastes strong and slightly bitter. Available chopped or as whole stems, recipes occasionally call for just a stem of epazote, equivalent to a teaspoon of the dried, chopped herb. Ancient Aztecs also used epazote medicinally to avoid gastric discomfort.
  
  

Mexican Oregano

• Often confused with oregano originating from Italy or the Mediterranean, Mexican oregano tastes grassy, spicier and more pungent than its counterpart. Heat brings out the flavor of this dried herb, making it a good addition to southwest flavored sauces, rubs and marinades. Difficult to find in the U.S., Mexican grocery stores or online vendors may carry Mexican Oregano.
  
  

Cilantro

• Cilantro, from the leaves of Coriandrum sativum, pairs well with spicy foods because it enhances and promotes other pronounced flavors. In Southwestern cooking, cilantro flavors dishes such as meat, salad, salsa and burritos. Originally grown around present day Greece, cilantro's use as a culinary herb began in 5000 B.C.
  
  

Cumin Seeds

• Cumin originates from the Mediterranean and flavors virtually all Mexican traditional bean and meat dishes. Considered essential to good chili, Cumin provides a peppery, nutty flavor. Stores carry this seed whole or ground into a fine powder. Cumin's unique, complex flavor makes it an integral spice of Mexican, Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine.