Oaxacan Black Mole: The Soul-Stirring Traditional Recipe
🌶️ Ready for an unparalleled culinary adventure? Discover authentic Oaxacan Black Mole, a traditional sauce crafted from over 30 ingredients like dried chilies, chocolate, and exotic spices, perfect for elevating turkey to gourmet heights.
🛒 Ingredients
- 6 chiles mulato secos
- 4 chiles ancho secos
- 2 chiles pasilla secos
- 1 chile chilhuacle negro (opcional)
- 1 tomate rojo grande
- 1/2 cebolla blanca
- 2 dientes de ajo
- 50 g almendras
- 30 g cacahuetes
- 20 g pasas
- 10 g ajonjolí
- 1 rebanada pan de caja o tortilla frita
- 1 plátano macho pequeño (opcional)
- 50 g chocolate amargo (70% cacao)
- 1 ramita canela
- 3 clavos de olor
- 5 pimientas negras
- 1/2 cdta comino en polvo
- 1/4 cdta anís
- 1.5 litros caldo de guajolote o pollo
- 70 ml aceite vegetal
- Sal al gusto
- 2 cdtas azúcar
- 1 kg guajolote o pollo cocido, en piezas
🌶️ Oaxaca's Culinary Jewel: Mole Negro Oaxaqueño
Oaxacan Black Mole is far more than just a sauce; it's a culinary masterpiece and an emblem of Mexican gastronomy. This complex preparation, hailing from Oaxaca, stands out for its profound depth of flavor and its artisanal craftsmanship. It combines a base of multiple dried chilies—such as ancho, mulato, pasilla, and chilhuacle negro—with ingredients like dark chocolate, exotic spices, nuts, seeds, and aromatic herbs, all ground to achieve a velvety texture and an intense dark color. Traditionally, it's served with turkey or chicken, elevating any dish to a gourmet and deeply traditional experience.
🌍 Origin and History of the Dish
- Oaxacan Cradle: Mole Negro is the most emblematic of Oaxaca's seven moles, a region globally renowned for its rich gastronomy and the preservation of ancestral techniques.
- Pre-Hispanic Roots: Its origins trace back to pre-Hispanic times, where similar sauces based on chilies and seeds already accompanied poultry, evolving with the arrival of ingredients like cocoa and European spices.
- Ritual and Tradition: More than just a recipe, its preparation is a family and community ritual, often associated with important festivities such as weddings, Day of the Dead, and Guelaguetzas, symbolizing unity and cultural heritage.
📝 Detailed Step-by-Step Preparation
- Toast Chilies: Clean 6 mulato chilies, 4 ancho chilies, 2 pasilla chilies, and 1 chilhuacle negro chili (if available), removing veins and seeds. Lightly toast them on a hot comal for 30 seconds per side, being careful not to burn them. Soak them in hot water for 20 minutes until soft.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a pan with 30 ml of oil, sauté 1 large tomato, 1/2 onion, and 2 garlic cloves until tender and lightly caramelized. Remove and set aside.
- Fry Nuts and Spices: In the same pan, add another 20 ml of oil and fry 50g of almonds, 30g of peanuts, 20g of raisins, 10g of sesame seeds, 1 slice of sandwich bread (or fried tortilla), and 1 small plantain (optional) until golden. Add 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cloves, 5 black peppercorns, 1/2 tsp of cumin, and 1/4 tsp of anise, and toast for 1 minute more.
- Blend Ingredients: Drain the chilies and place them in a blender along with the sautéed aromatics (tomato, onion, garlic), the fried nuts, spices, and 250 ml of turkey or chicken broth. Blend until you get a very fine paste. If necessary, add more broth.
- Cook the Sauce: In a large pot with 20 ml of hot oil, pour the blended mixture, passing it through a fine sieve to remove lumps. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 15-20 minutes until it thickens and changes to a darker color.
- Add Chocolate and Season: Incorporate 50g of dark chocolate and 500 ml of hot broth. Continue cooking over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and 1-2 tsp of sugar to taste, adjusting consistency with more broth if needed, until it has a thick but fluid texture.
- Serve: Serve the hot mole over pieces of 1 kg cooked turkey or chicken. Accompany with white rice and tortillas.
Oaxacan Black Mole is a celebration of patience and flavor, a legacy that transforms every bite into a journey through Mexico's rich culinary tradition. Dare to prepare it and amaze your guests!
