Torta ahogada

Torta ahogada is a sandwich from Guadalajara in the Mexican state of Jalisco, made with fried pork in a bread roll that is drowned in a hot tomato and chile sauce. The name means "drowned sandwich" in Spanish.

What it really is

The filling is usually carnitas, pork braised and then fried until crisp at the edges, though some stalls use pork leg or other cuts. The roll is a bolillo, a crusty white roll with a soft interior. It is split, lightly filled with beans, and then pushed into a sauce that is usually a tomato and chile de árbol broth, seasoned with garlic, onion and oregano. The sandwich is dipped or ladled with the sauce until the bread is soaked through, and it is often topped with pickled onions and sliced radish.

It is distinct from a regular torta, which is served dry, and from other Mexican sandwiches made on bolillo or telera. The sauce is what defines it: the bread is meant to be soaked, not just moistened. Many versions come in mild and very hot sauce, and the heat level is chosen by the customer.

How it's served

• Served hot on a plate, usually with a fork and knife because the bread is soaked through.
• Often eaten at street stalls and sit-down restaurants in Guadalajara, typically as a lunch or late-morning snack.
• Commonly accompanied by a lime wedge, pickled onions and sliced radish on the side.
• Customers can ask for the sauce mild or very hot; the bread should be fully soaked.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the filling and sauce: for example, "Torta ahogada: crispy pork carnitas on a bolillo roll, drowned in tomato and chile de árbol sauce".
• Flag that the bread is wheat-based, and note that the sauce is made without milk or egg.
• State the heat level clearly, such as mild, medium or very hot, and say whether the sauce is served on the side.
• Mention common variants like chicken or pork leg fillings, if offered.