What does “achiote” mean in Spanish?

As the cook fries the onion, she says “colocamos una cucharadita de achiote” — we put in a teaspoon of achiote. That orange-red seed paste is what gives Ecuadorian food its warm colour and soft, earthy taste. It appears in many regional Latin American recipes — stews, rice, and sauces — often added right at the start with the onion.

Spoken line: “colocamos una cucharadita de achiote” — “we put in a teaspoon of achiote.” The word comes from Nahuatl, an Indigenous language of Mexico, and travelled south through the whole continent. In Ecuador it usually means the cooking paste or powder, used more for colour and a mild flavour than for heat. More examples: - “El arroz lleva achiote.” — “The rice has achiote in it.” (giving it that yellow-orange colour) - “Sofríe la cebolla con un poco de achiote.” — “Fry the onion with a little achiote.” - “Compré achiote en polvo.” — “I bought achiote powder.” Usage note: you’ll hear it for both the paste and the powder. Cooks often add it early, with the onion, so it has time to colour the oil.