Oaxacan Mole Sauce
Guelaguetza
Los Angeles
Black, red and green mole sauces are the stars of the menu at Guelaguetza, a family-run Oaxacan restaurant in the Koreatown section of LA. Each mole is distinguished by specific chili peppers, rounded out with ground nuts, seeds and spices. The Lopez family guards the exact ingredient proportions in each mole, but shares the basics. Serve this mole sauce with tamales, carnitas or chicken.
Ingredients
2 lb. tomatoes, quartered
½ cup water
1 lb. black, red or coloradito mole paste (recipe follows)
2 cups chicken broth
¼ tsp. salt
1 tbsp. Oaxacan chocolate
Steps
1. In large saucepan, combine tomatoes and water; bring to a boil. Boil for 20 minutes.
2. Pour mixture into blender and blend for 10 seconds. Strain tomatoes back into saucepan and stir in mole paste until completely dissolved.
3. Over medium heat, bring mixture to a simmer. Add chicken broth and season with salt. Stir in chocolate until blended. Cook 10 minutes longer, stirring constantly, until sauce comes to a boil.
Black mole paste: Combine three types of chilies (mulato, pasilla and black chilhuacle), canola oil, salt, plantains, sesame seeds, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, raisins, garlic, onion, thyme, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, oregano and sugar.
Red mole paste: Combine three types of chilies (ancho, guajillo and red chilhuacle), canola oil, salt, plantains, sesame seeds, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, raisins, garlic, onion, thyme, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, oregano and sugar.
Mole coloradito paste: Combine ancho and guajillo chilies, canola oil, salt, plantains, sesame seeds, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, raisins, garlic, onion, thyme, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, oregano and sugar.
Photo by Jakob Layman for Almond Board of California