Seasoning, or aderezo, is very important in South American cooking. Not just some salt and pepper added at the end, but the ingredients you gather up before you begin, ingredients that are often mixed together with a mortar and pestle and used to season the cooking pan. Almost every South American recipe begins with the aderezo. Garlic crushed with salt; herbs such as oregano, cumin, and huacatay; onions, chile peppers, tomatoes - the special mix is unique to each dish. Even white rice starts with a special aderezo of mashed garlic cooked in oil, and it makes all the difference.
When I'm in a hurry, I sometimes use the little packets of South American seasonings from Goya, sold as "Sazón Goya". There are several flavors, although I mostly use the one with coriander and annatto (culantro y achiote). I used a packet when I made black bean soup recipe recently, and it came out great, with much more flavor. I also like the Sazón with Azafran (saffron), which adds a rich golden color to soups or sautéed onions.
Recipe for Black Bean Soup
More about South American Seasoning
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