Esquites

Esquites are corn kernels boiled in their own cooking liquid, then tossed with mayonnaise, cheese, lime and chile and served warm in a cup. It's the off-the-cob version of Mexico's grilled street corn, elote, and the difference is entirely in the format: elote comes whole on a stick and is eaten by gnawing at it directly, while esquites arrive loose in a cup, mixed through and eaten with a small spoon.

What it really is

Corn kernels, cut off the cob, boil in water flavoured with a sprig of epazote and a little of the cob itself for extra corn flavour, then drain and toss warm with mayonnaise, crumbled cheese, a squeeze of lime and a dusting of chile powder. Sold from street carts in a simple cup, it's built to eat on the move without needing both hands the way a whole cob on a stick does.

Being loose in a cup, not whole on a stick, is the entire point of choosing esquites over elote. Someone who wants the classic corn-on-a-stick experience is ordering the wrong dish if they ask for esquites — the format, not just the toppings, is what separates the two.

How it's served

• Warm, in a cup, with a small spoon.
• Mayonnaise, cheese, lime and chile powder mixed through or added to taste at a street cart.
• As a street food snack, sold from dedicated corn carts.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag the egg from the mayonnaise and the dairy from the cheese.
• It's naturally vegetarian.
• Say how spicy the chile dusting runs, since some carts make it noticeably hotter than others.

The ingredients, allergens and dietary notes listed here describe a typical recipe. They are not a binding declaration for any particular restaurant: recipes, portion sizes and the products used can differ.