1 Corn-used for a variety of food including tortillas, quesadillas, tamales, chimichangas, soups, etc. 2  Chiles and peppers-with over 100 varieties of chiles, there are plenty of uses in Mexican cuisine, from mild to hot, including as a spice for salsa. 3  Tomatoes-used in a wide variety of dishes.exican food is, of course, not always heavily spiced or piquant, but chiles are a common ingredient. They may be raw, smoked, or dried, but are seldom used in their powdered form. Cayenne chili, commonly found in a dried form, is not frequently used in Mexican cooking (cayenne chiles are actually quite hot).