Sazón
A Latin American seasoning of annatto, cumin, coriander, garlic and salt, which tints rice orange.
Also: sazón completa, goya seasoning, recado colorado
Sazón means seasoning in Spanish. The commercial sazón, popular in Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and among Latino communities in the United States, is a powder of annatto, cumin, coriander, garlic, salt and often MSG, sold in small envelopes. A packet turns rice, beans and stews golden-orange and gives a savoury, mildly earthy taste. Home cooks make their own by blending ground annatto, cumin, oregano, garlic powder and pepper. Annatto is the colour, and cumin the aroma. Because the packets contain salt, recipes should be adjusted, and cooks often add other seasonings alongside it.