Comal (cookware)

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A comal is a griddle or grill typically used for cooking foods based on a tortilla, including quesadillas, a folded tortilla filled with cheese and/or meat heated on the comal.

The history of such cooking methods dates back to the pre-Columbian era when maize was ground by stone, made into tortillas, then filled with whatever was available and heated on a comal over an open fire. Comales were also used to toast coffee and cacao beans. The word comal comes from the Aztec nahuatl word comalli. More recently the comal has found its way into the modern kitchen as a part of the stove top.

The comal is now generally a black (tempered) heavy cast iron flat round griddle pan with a handle with a hole in it for hanging, and approximately 11 1/2 inches in diameter. In many Hispanic cultures, the comal is handed down from grandmother to mother to daughter, the idea being that a comal tempered over many years of usage will heat faster, and cook cleaner. Also, culturally, it is said that having eaten food cooked on a comal over your lifetime, a person will crave food cooked by that method, as it imparts a small amount of the mineral iron into your daily diet.

There are some comal made of "barro" (pottery), these are still made and used by the indigenous peoples of Mexico and Central America.

A flattop grill is also related to comal, and can be used in a similar fashion for cooking Hispanic foods as well as many other grilled foods.