If your idea of cooking up Mexican cuisine means a bag of Doritos with some Watties chilli beans on top, it's time to level things up.
Mexican cuisine has been steadily growing in popularity over the last few years, with people willing to travel far and wide - even to a Henderson industrial area - for authentic Mexican food.
According to Uber Eats, Mexican cuisine was the most popular order via Uber Eats in 2020 alongside North American cuisine, with tacos doubling in popularity compared to the same time last year.
As a result of the growing popularity, Arturo Luna has seen massive growth in his business Ay, Caramba, the country's leading supplier of authentic Mexican ingredients.
As usual, social media app TikTok has a part to play. Luna told Newshub he's had people personally visiting his Takanini facility to try to get their hands on 'chamoy' - a traditional condiment made using pickled fruit and chilli, which completely sold out after it went viral on TikTok. The hashtag #chamoy currently has over 700 million views.
Other ingredients getting attention include mango enchilado (spicy dehydrated mango) and tajin sauce.
Luna supplies some of the best Mexican restaurants around the country, like Rosie's Red-Hot Cantina in Wellington, and Taco Taco, Frida, and Taco Loco in Auckland, so knows a thing or two about authentic flavours.
We asked him what ingredients we should have in our kitchen,and he put together his top five ingredients to get your hands on to add some spice to your life.
Chamoy
First up on the list is the ingredient that has racked up over 700 million views on TikTok and counting. This sweet, spicy and tangy sauce is made using pickled fruit - typically mango, apricot or plum - and seasoned with chilli powder, before being bottled. It can be used to add flavour to a variety of snacks, including fruit, vegetables, popcorn, slushies, and even candy - with spicy chamoy gummies one of the most popular ways to devour this spicy sauce.
Tajin
This versatile spice mix is a blend of chilli peppers, lime, and sea salt, and is used to add a spicy kick to anything and everything from buttered corn, fresh watermelon, pineapple or mango, grilled meat and even ice blocks. Arturo also recommends using this magical Mexican seasoning to rim your margarita or michelada glass to elevate your next cocktail night.
Mango enchilado
If you don't have any fresh mango available to add a spicy tajin kick to, mango enchilado is the next best thing, if not just as good. Dried mangoes are delicious on their own, but mango enchilado takes it to the next level; they're covered in chili powder and sugar, resulting in a dreamy sweet, spicy, salty and chewy flavour experience.
Rompope
Think eggnog but make it Mexican. This smooth liqueur was believed to have originated in Puebla, Mexico, and is now popular across Mexico and Honduras, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Belize. Made using eggs, milk and vanilla flavouring, it's creamy and decadent - perfect for the winter months.
Valentina sauce
If you haven't picked it up by now; Mexican food is packed with flavour, and lots of it. Valentina sauce is another hot chilli sauce, but is renowned more for the flavour than the heat - it offers a citrusy flavour, followed by a spicy aftertaste. If you want to ramp things up a notch, try the black label version - it's designed for those who love their food hot.
