Hoja santa with scientific name Piper auritum, synonymous with Piper sanctum, refers to a large leaf used as an herb in south Mexico cooking. It is often used in Mexican cuisine for tamales, the fish or meat wrapped in fragrant leaves for cooking, and as an essential ingredient in Mole Verde, the green sauce originated in the Oaxaca region of Mexico. Some of its uses are as follows:
(1) as flavoring to soups and eggs when chopped;
(2) in Central Mexico, to flavor chocolate drinks; and
(3) in southeastern Mexico, to make a green liquor called Verdín.
The Glossary about the World of Food !