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Mexican recipes

Mexican red chili sauce

No ratings yet 30 min Serves 8 Mexican
A classic red chili sauce, ideal for Mexican dishes such as enchiladas, chimichangas, tamales etc. The sauce can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to one month.

Ingredients

  • 6 dried Ancho chiles
  • Water to cover the chiles
  • 2 large cloves garlic
  • 4 whole cloves, crushed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Method

Prepare the Ancho chiles
Using a pairing knife, cut a slit along each of the chiles. Remove the stem and most of the seeds and veins (depending on how hot you want the sauce to be - the more seeds you use, the hotter). Flatten out the chiles as much as possible and place them on a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Heat the chiles a little, turning them once, just to bring out the flavour. Do not toast them.

Put the chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for 10 to 15 minutes, until they have softened.

Make the sauce
Place the chiles in a blender, reserving 3 cups of the water. Add the cloves, garlic, salt and black pepper and 3 cups of the soaking water to the blender and process for 2 to 3 minutes until you get a smooth puree. Taste the sauce and adjust with more salt and pepper, to taste.

Cook the sauce
Pour the sauce into a skillet. (For a completely smooth sauce, pass it through a sieve). Add the olive oil and turn the heat on, to medium. When the sauce heats up, lower heat to minimum and simmer for 10 minutes, skimming off any foam that forms. Remove from the heat and use, or cool and refrigerate.

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