THE MAN BEHIND THE JÍBARITO SANDWICH

When I first had the idea about this blog I had a totally different attitude and idea about what to write and the message I wanted to convey. The blog was first titled, “Enough with the ordering of that sandwich!!” The premise came from a long time feeling I had about the widespread popularity of the “jíbarito” sandwich. I feel that much of our food items are forgotten and will eventually disappear from our menus if we don’t order them. I was bitter and created a photo album via Facebook of more than 180 plates of food to plainly say: “look at how much food we have.” I wanted to create the tagline #fuckthejibaritosandwich. I even vowed that if I ever opened an eatery I would never have it on my menu.

Overall, I strongly wanted to challenge the foodies in Chicago to ask for other things on the menu at Puerto Rican restaurants. After speaking to two Boricua restaurant owners in the Chicagoland area they both expressed that they did not necessarily want to put the sandwich on their menu, but customers are requesting it, and it’s their #1 selling item. After digging a bit deeper I became a fan of its creator.

For those who don’t know, the jíbarito is a Chicago­Rican sandwich with twice-fried green plantain, which substitutes the bread, filled with anything from steak and onions, to the more common chicken and pork. Today you can find many variations including the vegetarian jíbarito, which includes eggplant, a “jíbarita” which uses sweet plantain, and even a breakfast jíbarito with eggs. The literal definition of the word Jíbaro is a rural or mountainous dweller of Puerto Rico. In the mid 1990′s, it is said that Juan “Peter” Figueroa of Borinquen Restaurant in Chicago’s Humboldt Park area, created and put on the market what we in Chicago know as the “Jíbarito sandwich.” In Colombia and Venezuela, there is a similar concept called “Patacónes.” El Plátano Loco in Aguada, Puerto Rico, is said to have served a “sandwich de plátano” as early as 1991. In Haiti, it’s called the “Shackabana” and is considered the official sandwich of the nation. Twenty years after it hit the menus in Chicago, it has been in “The Huffington Post”, “The Food Network”, “Chicago Tribune”, “Esquire”, “Chicago’s Best”, “Travel and Leisure”, along with multiple foodie lists like “Best sandwiches in Chicago”, “Best sandwich you never heard of”, and so on. It has gained so much popularity that it can be found in many types of restaurants around our city.

Juan “Peter” Figueroa thought outside of the box and created something that was not on other menus. He evolved his concept of traditional Puerto Rican cuisine and created something no one in Chicago had ever heard of. He then sat back and watched other restaurants use his concept and sandwich name for their own restaurant. According to Juan, there was even a restaurant in Cleveland that used his tagline, “La Casa del Jíbaro.”

I wanted to seek him out and talk to him personally, and so I did. On Wednesday, October 14, 2015 I went to Borinquen Restaurant at 5249 W. Belmont on the northwest side of Chicago. He seemed to me a gentle, older man about my father’s age. I shook his hand and really was a bit scared that we would clash; that our opinions about food and the industry would not mesh and that we would both walk away frustrated. After all, I’m the healthy food blogger/ cook and he’s the creator of my current frustrations. But I wanted to know about the man behind the jíbaro sandwich and so the interview started:

RP: How did owning a restaurant first start for you?

JPF: Started in the late 1970’s when me and my dad opened a social club called Cabaña in Humboldt Park. It had a kitchen in the back, and that’s where I cooked. At that time I was in my 20’s. I owned that one with my father, who was my best friend. He really believed in me. Unfortunately he passed. After that I opened El Flamboyán in the early 1980’s with my two brothers. Then I moved to Puerto Rico and worked in a few kitchens in downtown Caguas. After P.R., I came back to Chicago and opened Restaurant Parador, also in Humboldt Park. In the late 1980’s, I opened up Borinquen Restaurant, “La Casa del Jíbaro”, as it was named by radio personality Rey Rubio. That one was open for twenty-plus years. Now I’m here.

RP: How and when did the idea of the Jibarito sandwich come to be?

JPF: Well, every morning when I was working at the restaurant I would sit down and read El Vocero newspaper from Puerto Rico. You know El Vocero? And I would always look at the recipe section. One day I came across a recipe for “sandwich de plátano.” I cooked it and made it for my father. He loved that sandwich so much. He looked at me and said, “this is it. This is what we’ve been waiting for”, and so it was. I started making this sandwich about 1990, but it became famous in 1993 or 1994. It became famous because there was an older lady who was sick at St. Mary’s hospital. She told her daughters she wanted some sancocho from Borinquen Restaurant. I make a mean sancocho. Her daughters brought her sancocho, but it wasn’t from my place. They had to then go back and come to Borinquen to get the sancocho she wanted. They came in a few weeks later when she was out of the hospital and brought her daughter who is a really important food critic named Monica Eng. At that time Monica worked for the Chicago Tribune. She must have had the Jibarito sandwich and really liked it. She put a review in her paper and the rest is history. At that time I would have lines of thirty, forty, sometimes fifty or sixty people outside my doors and halfway down the block.

RP: How do you feel about other restaurants now using the Jibarito sandwich and its popularity?

JPF: Even though I am not profiting I feel great because others are making money. I remember being in a position where I needed to make money too. I have been offered money by a few restaurants for using the sandwich, but I don’t accept it.

RP: Do you yourself say, “there’s more to Puerto Rican food than the Jíbarito sandwich?”

JPF: Absolutely! I love to cook cuajitos, bacalao con verduras, alcapurrias, gandinga. But that’s not what people want. They are not interested in other foods. They want to eat the Jíbarito.

RP: I saw you have some new innovative food items on the menu, such as the “Boricua sandwich”, and “Volcano.” Can you tell me something about that?

JPF: It’s delicious! The Boricua sandwich is a tripleta (pork, chicken and steak) sandwich with bacalaítos used as a bread substitute. The Volcano is really similar to a stuffed mofongo. It’s something one of my cooks suggested because she used to cook it in Puerto Rican kitchens. But I’m always making new dishes. I also make jíbarito hamburgers, which I’d like you to taste.

RP: As we can see, there are some healthier food trends in the industry. People want to eat healthier. Have you made any food adjustments because of that?

JPF: Well, we have some vegetarian menu items. I like to make salads, but if I’m not here the cooks struggle to make them as good as me. Honestly, my food is not too nutritious. A lot of it is fried. But I try my best not to buy things I cannot pronounce. I make my own adobo. I make my own sofrito. I make my own hot sauce, which people love. I make two different types of BBQ sauce, one spicy and one mild. But I am open to trying new things, especially if it sells.

RP: What one accomplishment can you say you are most proud of?

JPF: Out of all my accomplishments, I’d have to say it was the day I was able to purchase back my farm in my hometown of Jayuya. That is my pride and joy.

After more than an hour of talking about food, family and recipes, it was time for me to wrap it up. We exchanged information and made sure we’d meet up again and eventually cook together. I left overflowing with thankfulness for people like Peter. A fearless, kind, entrepreneur with nine lives. I truly never felt during our interview like he was bullshitting me. I went in thinking that Peter would be bitter about others putting the sandwich on their menus, but that wasn’t the case at all. I find myself with hopes that he does well; that his son continues the legacy of “La Casa de Jíbaro.”

My challenge to our restaurants here is to continue to create different things as Pete did. A good example is what Owner/ Chef Yari Vargas is doing at “Casa Yari” in Chicago with flan. Even though flan has been done before for many years, she has created pumpkin flan garnished with candied walnuts, tequila walnut flan, apple pie flan, plátano maduro flan, and more. She is creative and it shows on her menu.

Let’s continue to evolve as our population has. Cook from scratch with fresh, non­-synthetic ingredients. Take a stand against GMO’s and food that has no nutrients. Continue to create and innovate fresh palate with traditional ingredients. Because if we don’t, then we will never see the next jíbarito sandwich.

Peter, the creator of Chicago’s Jíbarito sandwich can be found at Borinquen Restaurant Two at 5249 W. Belmont Ave in Chicago. They have plenty of space to accommodate large parties and are open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. This location accepts credit cards, is BYOB and does catering jobs. Here I ate the first jíbarito sandwich I’ve had in many years. It was ingested before I could even start the interview. The location was clean and the customer service was polite and attentive.

This special recipe I will share is for former Miss Puerto Rico Destiny Vélez, who with her anti-muslim rant was rightfully eliminated. Here’s a dish that comes from the Moors, who resided in Spain for almost 800 years and with them came their food. 

WHY I DRINK LIQUID GOLD

I was about 20 years old, chasing the live salsa music scene throughout the city of Chicago.  At that time I was learning to dance salsa and I didn’t always have the courage to ask ladies out to the dance floor. This was how my first experience with rum came to be. Before a night out at Hank’s, Tania’s, Village Cafe, D’Cache, or Cairo’s, I had to have my bottle of rum to ease my nerves some. I didn’t want to catch feelings about rejection and the rum provided me with the “I don’t give a fuck attitude” I wanted. At the time I had a surfaced consciousness to buy Puerto Rican, but frankly, I cared very little about diving deeper into the process of becoming a rum aficionado. Today I’m making much more concerted efforts. For the last 5 years I’ve been trying rums from all over the Caribbean and Latin America and have started to really enjoy and recognize quality rum. Now, not all rum is created equal, and boy, there are some nasty ones too in my opinion! However, now that I have researched and understand the process and complex history of the creation of rum, I have much more respect for this staple spirit that connects our motherlands.

According to historians, within 1651-1700’s,  sugar was a high commodity in Barbados (E. Matthew. ““The Brazilian Sugar Cycle of the Seventeenth Century and the Rise of the West Indian Competition”.” page 32). So much so, that at that time the selling of sugar could make more money than the shiny metals which were shipped off in part to decorate the embellished cathedrals we gaze at when we go to places like Spain, England and France. The Caribbean soils and slave hands provided this new product which satisfied the sweet tooth of the elite. From what I understand the production of rum as we know it came to be through the  manufacturing of sugar. Within that production process, as with any, there is waste. Through that waste several things were created from it;  Guarapo being one (Sugar cane juice), as well as molasses. But plantations had little use for the mass amounts of molasses being produced. It is said, that there was so much molasses left over that in many cases it was being disposed into the ocean (W. Curtis. “And a Bottle of Rum”. page 25). In the process of putting molasses in pots and barrels, fermentation happened, and the conversion of goodness began to take place. Caribbean rum was born.

Rum began being shipped in large masses to Colonial North America in the 17th and 18th Century. It was in Colonial New England where the first rum distillery came to be and was the most lucrative business of its time. Rum became so popular that in 1789 George Washington insisted on having a barrel of rum from Barbados at his inauguration. It is said that the average colonial North American drank 13.5 liters of rum annually. Eventually restrictions were created on rum from the Caribbean and whiskey grew in popularity. This contributed to the decline of rum in North America.

Today the rum business is the not doing so bad. And in a time of economic crisis, according to Business in Puerto Rico.com, 70 percent of the rum consumed in the United States is from Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico’s rum industry generates 700 direct jobs and 4,500 indirect jobs in Puerto Rico and that has generated about $434 million annually to the Government’s General Fund. Puerto Rican distilleries make Bacardi, Don Q, Ron del Barrilito, Ron Llave and Palo Viejo. Bacardi alone  boasts selling 20 million cases a year, and rum itself is the second most popular spirit behind vodka.

So what do we know about rum anyway? And why only use it in mixed drinks? There’s more to rum than the images of canned pina colada or bright red daiquiris that give you brain freeze.  It is so much more than sour tasting shots at a college frat party. Rum can be enjoyed sipped, on the rocks, or neat.  And although rum often gets a dismissive attitude, the sophistication of rum reaches the highest standards of any liquor on the market. Which can also make it very expensive at times. For example, Brugal Papa Andres from the Dominican Republic costs $1,200. Ron Bacardi de Maestros will set you back $2000. Appleton from Jamaica has a 50 year bottle which costs a $6,000 US dollars. And Wray and Nephew also from Jamaica has a special bottle from the 1940’s which can cost $54,000 a bottle.

The complexities of rum are varied. There is rhum agricole, a rarer prime method which uses the season’s prime cane. Agricole rum uses freshly squeezed sugarcane juice and not molasses like most rums.   Examples are: Clement (Martinique), Rhum Damoiseau (Guadeloupe), and Barbancourt (Haiti).

Light Rum: Light in color and is usually lighter in flavor. Light rum is often, but not always the base for drinks such as rum and coke, mojito’s, pina coladas, etc. Popular light rums are Bacardi Superior (Puerto Rico) and Don Q (Puerto Rico).

Gold/Amber Rum: Darker in color and usually has an added layer of flavor that light rum does not have.  Its amber color is usually due to the aging it has received stored in the barrel. Cheaper gold rums will be like fool’s gold and gained their color from additives and fake colorings. Thats whack!!! Good examples of gold rum are: El Dorado 5 (Guyana), Cruzan Single Barrel (St. Croix), Mount Gay Eclipse (Barbados), Barrilito (Puerto Rico) and Rum Barcelo (Dominican Republic).

Dark Rum: This rum has usually been aged for 12 plus years and the craftsmanship and patience of these rum variants should be noted and appreciated. This flavoring can many times be stronger and complex. Like a fine wine or cigar, you may find hints of dark chocolate, coffee, tobacco, vanilla. This is the rum that you don’t take as a shot,  you sip it unless you enjoy wasting your money by bypassing the flavors. Examples are Ron Abuelo 12 year (Panamá), Flor de caña Centenario (Nicaragua)  Plantation XO 20th Anniversary (Barbados), Don Q gran añejo (Puerto Rico) and Havana Club añejo especial (Cuba). Many cheap dark or black rums create their color by adding heavy caramel and not by aging.

Overproof Rum: These rums have a higher alcohol content and can actually ignite flames. The standard rum in the US is bottled at 80-100 proof. Overproof rum is bottled at 120-160 proof. Popular brands are Bacardi 151(Puerto Rico) and Wray and Nephew overproof (Jamaica).

Spiced Rum:  Aged rum usually with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla to create a sweeter taste. Truthfully, not many spiced rums use real spices. There are ways to spice your rum with real spices yourself. Captain Morgan (Puerto Rico) is popular spiced rum.

Perhaps, as Boricuas, we can consider the economic status of Puerto Rico and begin to support our isla by purchasing “hecho en Puerto Rico” products. We can opt to drink more Medalla as opposed to Coors Light. We have had periods in our recent past when Schaefer beer was one of Puerto Rico’s top sellers. Passoa recently made its 25 year celebration bottle thanking the people of Puerto Rico for making it the number 1 liqueur on the island. I just think it’s time to look within instead of looking out. We need take some pride in being who we are, in being Latino, Caribbean, Puerto Rican or whomever we may be and put our purchasing power to something that we do well. Like rum!!! Let’s learn about it and support it. And when you buy that well researched bottle of rum, make sure you invite me.

“Salud!!!” Let’s pour out a libation for my brother who has passed recently. Rest in power Johnny Tirado. Love you always my brother.

10 LESSON FILLED FOODS AND INGREDIENTS OF PUERTO RICO

Achiote – Also known as “annatto,” achiote is an ingredient native to Puerto Rico. Often, the dye from the seeds was used as body paint and lipstick amongst the Taínos; therefore, it is often called the “lipstick tree.” Before the use of packaged sazón – which has artificial food coloring, msg, and other unpronounceable ingredients – “aceite de achiote” achiote oil was the common way of adding food coloring and flavor to food, especially rice and stews. It is very likely tied to a centuries-old tradition from West Africa where palm oil is used for food coloring. It could also be related to the practice of Mediterranean cooking, in which saffron is used for coloring.

Guingambo – The word “Guingambo” is Angolan for okra, and it has its origins in Africa. A corruption of the word guingambo is the word “gumbo,” a dish often eaten in the southern Louisiana which has a strong association with okra. Guingambo is eaten less and less by younger folks, and sometimes perceived as a thing of past despite it’s versatility in that it can be fried, baked, stewed and sauteed. Don’t give up on guingambo. The less the demand, the less likely you will see it at your supermarket.

Oregano Brujo – Native to the continent of Africa, oregano brujo grows very well wherever it goes. For those of you who struggle with planting, this is the perfect first house plant. This low maintenance and invasive species thrives easily and you will find yourself giving stems away. The stems can be easily placed in a cup of water where roots will begin to sprout. It is then that the oregano brujo can be transferred from the cup into potted soil. It’s very aromatic and can be used in sofrito or stews. Oregano brujo is said to be used for spiritual cleansings, which may be how it received it’s name.

Hoja de Malanga – Taro root leaf. This may sound unusual, even made up, but it’s very real…In El Cocinero which was published in 1857 – there is a recipe of “malanga humada” which consists of cooking the leaf with the tuber itself. This is similar to what is known in West Africa and parts of the Caribbean as “callaloo.” Also similar to what is known in soulfood as collard greens. Because I was looking for greenery in my diet, I was elated that I found this. In my travels to Trinidad it was commonly present, and yes, I had the opportunity to taste the delicious “dasheen bush” also known as “callaloo.” Upon my return I managed to find taro root leaves at the African/Caribbean Market in Chicago and I’ve been making this dish ever since. This is a dish I believe can be easily brought back. Put some green in your life. Cook and eat “hoja de malanga.”

Papaya Verde – This is an ingredient I often find when digging up old recipes of the Caribbean. To be honest with you, before learning to cook, I had never tried it. But, it is available in Chicago grocery stores like Rico Fresh in West Humboldt Park. If you’ve ever eaten “dulce de lechosa,” then you’ve tasted papaya verde. If you are a fanatic of Thai food, then you have definitely seen it on a menu and have possibly eaten a papaya salad. Contrary to it’s sweet counterpart, the green papaya is more popular in the Caribbean and is often-times called “papaw” or “paw paw.” In some parts of Puerto Rico, and specifically in Loiza, it is consumed as vegetable and often cooked with “bacalao.” This dish is often called “Pirria.”

Funché – Corn was often dried inside the house, then eventually pounded in a pilón and made into funché. It was accessible and provided much-needed carbs and energy in times of immense labor and poverty. It was also a familiar food. Taínos made “guanimes,” and American and Central American natives made tamales (This is all prior to the arrival of Europeans). In regards to Africans, the word may have come from the Kikongo word “ngfungi” which refers to a form of bread which was made of cornmeal. The linking of Black Africans and funché most likely came when sugar plantations in Puerto Rico were most prosperous in the early 19th century. “Funché was identified as a food consumed by people of color, and thus bore all the lustful, erotic, sexual overtones attributed by the elites to the black race.” (Cuadra, Cruz Miguel Ortiz. Eating Puerto Rico: A History of Food, Culture and Identity. North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press, 2013. Print. p 88). In language in Puerto Rico we see it come up often – “enfuncha’o” which meant to be in a bad mood; “cara de funché” which means an awkward smile. “Eating funché was associated with the vulgar practices of lower-caste persons who lacked manners and had not a spoon, knife or fork to their name.  Funché is also eaten in Dominican Republic and Cuba. In Haiti this dish is called “maise moulin; in Trinidad, Grenada and Barbados it is known as “coocoo;” “turned cornmeal” in Jamaica and “fungi” in the Virgin Islands. In fact, a variation we often eat today is shrimp and grits. Don’t allow folks to call it “Puerto Rican polenta.” That strips funché of all it’s history.

Ají Caballero – I know that many of us have the misconception that Puerto Ricans don’t eat spicy food. That’s a damn lie!!! The word itself – “ají” – is a Taíno word and they have always grown well on the island. It was used to flavor food, but was also used for food preservation. It was also used in a similar way by the maroon populations of Puerto Rico and throughout the Caribbean. “Ají caballero” is native to the island. Although this is not the only pepper of the island, it is one of the more common ones. I have learned that the ají would be burned over fires as an agitant to ward off the Spanish invaders. To me, at that moment the “ajís” became a symbol of anti-colonialism and resistance. As a matter of fact, for many, it’s a necessity on the kitchen table as a flavor enhancer – like it was for me as a kid in the form of “pique.” Pique is a vinegary concoction of “ajís” and herbs. As a home cook, I think that food needs balance and should not only be salty or sweet. Add spice to the mix. 

Yuca – “Yuca”-  also known as cassava – is one of the most versatile foods on earth.Yuca is said to be a Taíno word and may come from the word “Yucatan” which may also be its actual place of origin. It grows in drought-like weather and can grow on some of the toughest terrains around the world. It’s two tough exterior shells and internal vein make it heavy and firm. Yuca was the most cultivated crop of the Taíno diet amongst corn, squash, beans, peppers, “calabaza”, peanuts, pineapples, guavas and sweet potatoes. For the Taínos and still today, many eat what is called “casabe” which is a bread made of yuca. Casabe was a journey cake that traveled far without spoilage. Yuca was a life source for many around the world and continues to be today.

Guanimes – The word “guanime” is a Taíno word. You will also see the word “guanimo,” which my family uses. (Both are widely used throughout the island, but guanime is the more popular name.) Guanimes were a main staple of Borinquen. It is said to be the Puerto Rican rendition of tamales made in the Americas. Ground cornmeal is the main ingredient, which was wrapped in cornhusk. It is understood that today they are wrapped in banana leaf because of the influence of Africans on the island. A variation of the corn based guanimes are white flour guanimes, also known as “guanimes blancos” or “guanimes de harina.” All types of guanimes are often complemented with bacalao.

Horchata de Ajonjolí   – When one thinks of horchata, one commonly thinks of refreshing Mexican rice water, and rightfully so. But in Puerto Rico, and many other places, horchata exists as well. In Puerto Rico the most common type of horchata is “horchata de ajonjolí  ” (sesame seed horchata).

Here is a video link of the recipe by Buen Provecho TV: https://youtu.be/EuxGOSgR3EY

WHAT DID WE DO BEFORE THERE WAS ADOBO AND PACKAGED SAZÓN?

Within this cooking journey, I’ve made a concerted effort to make “Puerto Rican Soul Food.” To take my time in the kitchen and create a down­home, back-to-the-basics, slow cooking pot of something my ancestors would be proud of. Waiting for the bay leaf to spread its flavor, allowing the dry beans to soften, enabling the salt to boil out of the bacalao while savoring the beautiful smells of home cooking that fill the air, connecting some of the most memorable senses of my childhood.

I am grateful for these memories and for working parents with little time but immense love and determination to provide quality food for their families. Especially those who throughout the years have struggled and necessity being the mother of invention, creating something from nothing. Thank you for showing your family your abundance of love through food. Thank you for following these cooking traditions and giving us paths to follow in the kitchen.

I understand there’s little time with the hustle and bustle of life and we want to create short cuts. We may even need to as we have hungry kids who don’t want to wait to eat. Many times those shortcuts are created using an all­-in-­one container or package. The seasonings which are staples in our kitchen, we are now realizing are detrimental to our health. Our primary offenders are Adobo and packaged Sazón. Not to mention Maggi and Bouillon cubes which are also universal flavor enhancers, but mostly found in communities of color. On the labels we will find ingredients we can’t pronounce, fake food coloring and artificial flavors. I hope I don’t need to tell you, this is not what I mean by Puerto Rican Soul Food.

The purpose of Sazón is generally to give flavor and food coloring to our food. It is an artificial replacement of the annatto/achiote seed. Historically, it is said that the achiote seed was used for body paint and lipstick amongst the our ancestors of the Caribbean islands and the Americas, therefore it was given the name ”lipstick tree.” The achiote seed was later used for food coloring and has become a staple of the Puerto Rican kitchen. In addition to its flavoring, achiote also carries health benefits such as carotenoids for eye-sight and is even linked to anti-­aging agents. We are almost certain that this natural food coloring was utilized and given great importance amongst our African ancestors because of its parallels to dengdeng oil used in Afro-­Brazilian cooking, and palm oil of tropical Africa. Below I will give a recipe for achiote oil, which is utilized for beans, soups, stews and rice. The use of Sazón is redundant especially when using adobo seasoning because the ingredients are repeated and your food can quickly become unhealthy especially since both are heavy in salt.

Seriously! Don’t feed into the pressures of you not being Latina/o enough because you don’t use the orange short-cut package. These products have been impactful, but have not been on the market that long. Packaged Sazón was created in the 1960’s. Companies, like Goya, continue to grow and the products are reaching other markets. According to the Washington Post, Goya made $1.3 billion dollars in 2012, making it one of the most profitable companies in the U.S. I believe we should demand better. We should demand healthier options.

Goya Sazón Natural y Completo has MSG, FD&C Yellow 5 and RED 40, and Tricalcium Phosphate. What a freaking joke!!!! What did we do before these packaged seasonings were created? The answer is, we simply cooked!

Adobo ingredients are: MSG, tricalcium phosphate, salt, garlic, oregano, pepper and turmeric.
Sazón ingredients are: Monosodium Glutamate, Salt, Dehydrated Garlic, Cumin, Yellow 5, Tricalcium Phosphate(Anti­Caking Agent), Coriander, Annatto (Color), Red 40. The only 3 ingredients I can make out are salt, garlic powder and onion powder.

So here’s my bright idea. Why not use real fresh onions, real fresh garlic, aceite de achiote, paprika and turmeric for food coloring? Use large grain salt like kosher or himalayan salt to better measure your salt intake. I know that your food will taste better and you will cook healthier.