Gordita

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A gordita in Mexican cuisine is a food which is characterized by a small, thick tortilla made with masa (corn flour). The gordita is in contrast to a taco, which uses a thinner tortilla. "Gordita" means "little fat one" in Spanish. The gordita is typically baked on a comal, a small pan similar to a skillet.

The gordita's thick tortilla is typically split and filled with guisos (soups or stews) or casseroles, like chicken, cochinita pibil, nopales, carne al pastor, etc. These are made mostly for lunch and are accompanied by many different types of salsas. The most traditional "gordita" in the central region of Mexico is filled with "chicharrón prensado" (a type of stew made with pork rind and spices) and is called "gordita de chicharrón".

In Durango, Mexico, gorditas are commonly made from wheat flour (harina de trigo) tortillas and look more like small pita breads. The dough (masa) is identical to that of the flour tortilla. It is cooked on a griddle (comal) with a hot piece of metal placed on top that resembles a clothes iron. The gordita fills up with steam and a small slit is cut into one side where it can be filled with guisados.

The Taco Bell gordita is more like a pita bread taco than a typical Mexican gordita, although it has some similarities to the Durango gordita.

Pupusas are a Salvadoran dish similar to the gordita.

[edit] As a term of endearment

The word gordita is also a Spanish term of endearment used to describe an attractive woman or girl who is curvaceous or heavy set. It may be used similarly to the colloquial phrases "little butterball", "pleasantly plump", or "got back" in English.