Comal

The comal is the flat, round griddle of Mexican cooking, traditionally of unglazed clay and now usually of metal, used above all to cook tortillas and to toast chiles and seeds.

Etymology

Larousse derives comal from the Nahuatl comalli; the Maya word is xamach. The utensil is used throughout Mexico.

Materials

The traditional comal is unglazed clay, which must be wiped with limewater before use so tortillas do not stick. Clay comales crack easily and are increasingly rare; sheet-metal comales, which do not break and travel well, have become common. A comal can sit over firewood, charcoal or a gas burner, and some Mexican stoves have one built in, though many cooks still prefer a separate comal. A plancha or heavy skillet can substitute.

Uses

The comal's main job is cooking corn tortillas, which puff gently when the masa hits the hot surface. It is also used to toast seeds and roast chiles, and roasting tomatillos and chiles on a comal is the basis of salsa verde asada. Banana leaves are passed over a hot comal to soften them, and flour tortillas are cooked on one at moderate heat. Oaxaca's Montenegro area uses a comal with a raised grid, called roñoso, that marks its tortillas.

Reviews

See also

• Corn tortilla
• Flour tortilla
• Plancha
• Salsa de tomatillo asado
• Nixtamalization

References

1. "Comal". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
2. "Tortilla". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
3. "Salsa verde". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
4. "Hoja de plátano". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.