Sazón

(Puerto Rican seasoning salt)

Sazón means "seasoning" in Spanish. In Puerto Rico, it also refers to a seasoned salt that is used everywhere in Puerto Rican cooking. The seasonings add not only flavor, but also a subtle orange hue to many dishes. Many island cooks use the store-bought Goya-brand version. Here is a homemade approximation.

Makes about 1/3 cup

Ingredients

Ground coriander -- 1 tablespoon
Ground cumin -- 1 tablespoon
Ground annatto seeds or paprika -- 1 tablespoon
Garlic powder -- 1 tablespoon
Salt -- 1 tablespoon

Method

Mix all of the ingredients together and store the sazón in an airtight container. It will keep fresh for about 3 months.
In recipes, use about 1 1/2 teaspoons for each packet of sazón called for.

Variations

Vary the amounts of the various spices to your taste, or eliminate them altogether. Other possible additions include onion powder, tomato powder and saffron. Many of the store-bought types include monosodium glutamate as the primary ingredient.