Sazón: La Especia de Encanta

Part of my family is from Puerto Rico. The island isn't the most vegetarian friendly but what I can eat is really good. Mofongo, arañitas, pastelillos and arroz con gandules are all dishes that any boricua will gush about. Most dishes have a combination of earthy and tangy flavors that remind one of the famous pairing of cumin and coriander.  Indeed, it is this combination that you will find in the vast majority of the island's "cocina criolla" or creole cooking and in sazón (pronounced "sah-ZONE").

Sazón is a seasoning blend that is kind of frowned on for a couple of reasons.  First, it's full of salt and MSG which...  well, that's another article for another time.  Second, it's often used to replace achiote oil (annatto seeds cooked in oil), which more prestigious chefs use to give foods distinct flavors.  I totally get that, but when I visit the island, we eat Abuelita's cooking and she reaches for the Sazón Goya.  You do not want to cross Abuelita.  Her cooking spoon is meaner than Nonna's.  Trust, bruh.

The face of a stone cold killer

Like many seasoning blends, sazón (which literally translates as "seasoning") is just a combination of spices popular in the region.  It's known throughout the Caribbean and elsewhere in Latin America.  It's even easy to find in continental U.S. supermarkets thanks to the ubiquity of the international foods aisle (better known as the "Goya aisle").  However, like most things you'll find in boxes, it's really heavy on salt.  Fortunately, it's REALLY easy to make your own.  

Just use equal parts of the following (I usually go with 1 TBSP each):

• salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder
• cumin
• coriander
• annatto
• MSG (optional)
• onion powder (optional)
• oregano (optional)

Of course, you can adjust these as you see fit.  Most recipes do not call for oregano or onion powder at all.  I don't put salt or MSG into the blend when I make it myself as both of those are best added on their own, depending on how much is desired for the recipe.  I tend to go low salt and leaving it out helps.  However, annatto is ABSOLUTELY NOT optional.  I've seen a very weird trend in recipes to suggest replacing annatto (which, I admit, is sometimes hard to find) with paprika.  I can only assume this is because these people think paprika and annatto are flavorless, and only used for color.  Do not make this mistake. Abuelita would never forgive you.

As for a good recipe to try this Caribbean concoction on, I like to show people arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas).  Most of us are familiar with the Mexican take on rice and beans, which is delicious in its own right.  The Puerto Rican version is quite different and showcases what makes creole cooking unique.  Even readers of the Facebook page Being Latino rated it as the best kind. Enjoy el sabor auténtico.

So while it might be a betrayal of Puerto Rican cuisine, sazón is also what the majority of Puerto Ricans use at home which makes it quite authentic as far as Abuelita is concerned.  And if it's good enough for her, you'd better eat it.  Or else.