An enchilada is a traditional Mexican dish, which is made in many very different ways. It is typically made with a corn (maiz) tortilla dipped briefly in hot lard or oil to soften then dipped in the chosen enchilada sauce. The tortillas are filled and rolled up, placed in a casserole dish, then layered with sauce and possibly other additions such as cheese and chopped onions or olives.Enchiladas can be filled with almost anything, depending on the cook's taste and means. While enchiladas made with meat or cheese fillings are very popular (chicken enchiladas being common), vegetables, seafood, eggs, or bananas may also be used. One popular variant consists of potatoes and white cheese. Traditional EnchiladasEnchilada comes from the verb enchilar (= "to add chile pepper to"). Enchilada literally means "in chile". The traditional enchilada sauce is just that—dried red chile peppers soaked and ground into a sauce with other seasonings. However, red enchilada sauce may also be tomato-based with red chiles, while green enchilada sauce is usually made of tomatillos and green chiles. Mole may also be used as enchilada sauce.Since the filling and sauce are prepared before assembling the enchiladas, baking in an oven serves to heat through rather than cook the dish. Common garnishes are cream, diced or sliced onions and grilled cheese (enchiladas suizas, suiza, meaning Swiss, is an adjective that indicates the dish is topped with cream or cheese, the appellation is derived from the Swiss Mennonites who brought their religion as well as their love of cream and cheese to Mexico) sour cream, lettuce, olives, chopped onions, chili peppers, and fresh cilantro. Fried eggs or cecina (salted, cooked strips of meat; like bacon) may be added as a final touch or as a side dish.An enchilada topped with fried eggs may be called enchilada montada (the eggs are mounted, montada, on top). Other adjectives may be used to describe the recipe origin, eg: enchilada tapatia would be a recipe from Jalisco.An enchilada made with bean sauce rather than chile sauce is called an enfrijolada (from frijol, bean) Americanized EnchiladasAmerican, or Southwestern Style Enchiladas are a bit different and varied. Most begin with corn tortillas, used raw, instead of fried in oil, and are stacked flat. From there, the differences begin. In blander variations, they are placed in a caserole dish, and alternately layered with cooked, parcelled chicken breast, chili strips, and grated Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. All of this is covered with cream of chicken soup and topped with grated cheese, and the whole thing is baked uncovered until done. When served, a generous stack is placed in the center of the plate, and a ring of shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes is added around the serving.In a more traditional recipe commonly found in Arizona and New Mexico, the individual tortillas are dipped in red chile sauce and stacked like pancakes, with each layer sprinkled with cheese and minced onion. The stack is then topped off with a fried egg, which is also smothered in red chile. Accompanying side dishes vary according to tastes and tradition.