Some dishes in life are more like good friends than food. They’re honest, dependable, supportive, encouraging, and when you see them, you feel a little lighter, knowing full well you’re in for a good ol’ time. They’re there for you when you’re up, there for you when you’re down, and should you be in need of a swift kick in the ass, they readily oblige. Also, if the other food unfortunately happens to kinda suck, they just have that special je ne sais quoi for making it all better. Yup, we’re looking at you, pico de gallo. Bless your zing-filled heart.
A versatile side dish/condiment that we at The Hungry Herald can no longer envision life without, pico de gallo is a tried and tested little titan of Mexican cuisine, gracing and brightening tables across its land of origin at any given time of day. Also known as salsa mexicana and salsa de bandera – “flag sauce”, as it proudly sports the national colours – pico de gallo is a wonderfully simple, mouthwatering medley of 5 key ingredients: diced tomatoes, chopped onions, green chile peppers (classically serrano), cilantro and fresh lime juice. Variations abound throughout Mexico, and depending on where you are, you may find the likes of watermelon, pineapple, pomegranate, cactus, prickly pear, jícama and even fresh cheese joining in on the roster. Any visit to the taquería is pretty much unthinkable without it, and don’t get us started on what it does for your eggs.
Stretching back to Mesoamerican times, pico de gallo’s history, like that of so many other tasty things we love, is somewhat unclear. Same goes for the origin of the name. Pico de gallo literally translates to “rooster’s beak”, and the explanations for this moniker run a colourful and piquant little gamut.
Some believe it comes from the pre-silverware use of thumb and forefinger when enjoying one’s pico back in the day, the hand forming a beak while picking up all the juicy bits of deliciousness. Others imaginatively contend that the consistency of the salsa is similar to that of bird feed while another set of others claims it’s because the pieces look like they’ve been brunoised by a rooster with culinary inclinations. In his gastronomical history of Mexico City, famed writer and chronicler Salvador Novo weighs in on the whole thing, comparing the dish’s bright colours to those of its namesake’s feathers.
Then there are the spicy theories. One is that pico de gallo has bite – se pica in Spanish – and the eater must be gallo – brave – to enjoy it. Meanwhile, in Sonora, the name is said to be a nod to the similarity between a rooster’s beak and the fiery serrano pepper. And let’s not forget the rather unsettling hypothesis that points to cock fighting handlers getting pecked on the tongue while trying to calm jittery roosters by putting the little contenders’ heads in their mouths before a fight. If this is actually a thing, se pica indeed.
We’re not really sure what side of the chicken wire we’re on with respect to all of that, but one thing we do know is that those ingredients were simply meant to be together. And if we have to thank a rooster or two for supplying the inspiration, we’re happy to do it. So whether you’ve never had this vibrant little dish or you’re a dyed-in-the-wing fan, we urge you right this very instant to just get out there and get some, make some (see recipe below), have some delivered – for the love of totopos, do what you gotta do, the rooster cock-a-doodles for you.
PICO DE GALLO CLÁSICO
– 3-4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
– 1/2 medium white onion, chopped (red works too)
– 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (*Please use caution and dose according to tolerance. The Hungry Herald cannot be held responsible for any incidental capsaicin-induced distress.)
– 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
– Fresh lime juice (1-2 limes to taste)
– Sea salt and black pepper (to taste)
Mix these beauties up in a large bowl, ideally letting sit for a minimum of 15 minutes so that all the ingredients get nice and friendly. Serve with tortilla chips (totopos) and/or pretty much anything else that fluffs your feathers. Rest assured, pico de gallo won’t let you down.
