Mole Poblano

Name: Mole Poblano
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 dried mulato chilli; 1 dried ancho chilli; 1 dried pasilla chilli; 1 tbsp lard; 15 g blanched almonds; 15 g raisins; 2 tsp sesame seeds; 0.5 white onion; 2 cloves garlic; 1 plum tomato; 0.5 corn tortilla; 1 piece cinnamon stick; 2 whole cloves; 4 black peppercorns; 0.25 tsp cumin seeds; 15 g Mexican chocolate; 200 ml chicken stock; 1 tsp piloncillo or brown sugar; 0.5 tsp salt

The dark, glossy chilli-and-chocolate sauce of Puebla: dried mulato, ancho and pasilla chillies toasted and soaked, then ground with almonds, raisins, sesame, tomato, tortilla and warm spices, fried down and finished with Mexican chocolate. Spoon it over poached chicken or turkey with white rice.

Lunch & dinner 8g+ fibre

65 min20 prep · 45 cookMedium539 kcalper serving

Method

Wipe 1 mulato, 1 ancho and 1 pasilla chilli with a damp cloth, then slit them open, pull out the stems, seeds and veins. Toast the flat chillies on a dry comal or heavy frying pan over medium heat for 30-45 seconds a side, pressing them down, until they smell fragrant and turn pliable — do not let them blacken or the mole will be bitter. Cover with hot water and soak for 20 minutes, weighing them down with a saucer.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of lard in a small heavy pan over medium heat. Fry 15 g of almonds for 2 minutes until pale gold, lift out, then fry 15 g of raisins for 30 seconds until they puff, and finally 0.5 torn tortilla until crisp. Lift each out onto a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan.
In the same fat, fry 0.5 sliced onion and 2 cloves unpeeled garlic over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until spotted brown and sweet; peel the garlic once cool. On the dry comal, toast 2 tsp of sesame seeds for 1-2 minutes until they dance and colour (reserve a third for garnish), then char 1 tomato for about 6 minutes, turning, until blistered and soft.
Briefly toast 1 piece of cinnamon, 2 cloves, 4 peppercorns and 0.25 tsp of cumin seeds in the dry pan for 30 seconds, then grind them fine. Drain the chillies, keeping the soaking water.