A comal is one of the most basic and most useful tools in a Mexican kitchen. It’s a flat pan used for dry cooking: reheating tortillas, charring tomatoes and chiles, toasting dried chiles, nuts, seeds, and spices. You don’t need one to cook Mexican food, but if you cook tortillas often, it makes life a lot easier. People ask all the time: • Do I need a comal? • Can I use a skillet instead? • What’s the best material? Here’s the honest answer: any flat surface works. A skillet or griddle is fine.