Mole Poblano

Ingredients

• 6–7dried ancho chillies
• 6–7dried mulato chillies
• 5–6dried pasilla chillies
• 1/2onion
• 6 clovesgarlic
• 2–3Roma tomatoes
• 47 g (1/3 cup)sesame seeds
• 1 teaspooncinnamon
• 1 tablespoonMexican oregano
• 1/4 teaspoonblack peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoonanise seeds
• 8whole cloves
• 2 tablespoonsraisins
• 35 g (1/4 cup)almonds
• 57 g (2 oz; about 1/3 cup chocolate chips)chocolate
• 960–1,200 ml (4–5 cups)stock
• 2 tablespoonslard or oil
• 1 teaspoon, plus more to tastesalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the chillies

   Wipe any dust from the dried chillies. Remove the stems and seeds, without worrying about removing every seed.

2. 2

   Toast and soak

   Roast the pieces in a 200°C oven for 1–2 minutes, or toast them in a hot frying pan for 15–30 seconds per side. Put them in a bowl, cover with hot tap water and soak for 20–30 minutes. If they float, hold them under the water with a small bowl or plate.

3. 3

   Roast tomatoes

   Rinse and remove the stems from 2–3 Roma tomatoes. Roast them in a 200°C oven for 20–30 minutes.

4. 4

   Cook onion and garlic

   Roughly chop 1/2 an onion and peel 6 garlic cloves. Heat a little oil in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté the onion and whole garlic cloves until lightly browned. Transfer them to a blender.

5. 5

   Toast the spices

   Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat. Add 47 g sesame seeds, 8 whole cloves, 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds and 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns. Toast, stirring occasionally, until the sesame seeds begin to turn golden. Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano towards the end and cook briefly. Grind the mixture to a fine powder in a food processor or spice grinder, then set aside.

6. 6

   Choose the liquid

   Taste the chilli soaking liquid. Use it to thin the sauce if you like its flavour; if it tastes bitter, use stock instead.

7. 7

   Blend the chillies

   Drain the chillies and put them in the blender with 480 ml (2 cups) of stock or soaking liquid. The onion and garlic should already be in the blender. Blend thoroughly and taste the mixture.

8. 8

   Add tomatoes

   Add the roasted tomatoes to the blender and blend until combined.

9. 9

   Add ground spices

   Add the ground spice mixture and blend. Add another splash of stock if needed. Keep track of how much liquid you use; the recipe calls for 960–1,200 ml in total, with the remainder added during simmering.

10. 10

    Add nuts and fruit

    Add 2 tablespoons raisins, 35 g almonds and 1 teaspoon salt. Blend until combined.

11. 11

    Cook the sauce

    Heat 2 tablespoons lard or oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the mole sauce and cook briefly. Add any remaining stock that was not used in the blender. Use a splatter screen, or cover the pan with a lid or foil.

12. 12

    Stir in chocolate

    Once the sauce is heated through, add 57 g chocolate if using. Semi-sweet chocolate chips or Mexican chocolate both work; use two or three times as much for a sweeter sauce.

13. 13

    Adjust the seasoning

    When the chocolate has melted into the sauce, taste it and adjust the salt. The amount needed will depend on the stock.

14. 14

    Finish the sauce

    Serve straight away, or simmer longer to thicken the sauce. Strain it if you prefer a smoother texture.

15. 15

    Serve with tortillas

    For enmoladas, roll cooked shredded chicken and cheese in corn tortillas, crisp them in the oven and cover with the mole poblano sauce.

16. 16

    Store leftovers

    Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate; they will keep for a few days.

What is mole poblano?

Mole poblano is a Mexican sauce associated with Puebla, made by combining chillies with spices and other ingredients into a deep, layered mixture. Recipes vary, but dried chillies are central to its distinctive flavour.

This version balances several types of chilli with toasted sesame seeds, almonds, raisins and chocolate. Blending the ingredients and simmering them together brings those contrasting flavours into one sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 222 calories, 6g protein, 30g carbs, 11g fat.

The carbohydrates come mainly from the chillies, tomatoes, raisins and chocolate; the lard or oil, sesame seeds, almonds and chocolate contribute most of the fat. Protein comes in smaller amounts from the seeds and nuts, while a chicken filling would add more to the finished plate. Serve a moderate amount of sauce with chicken and vegetables or salad for a more balanced meal.

Choosing and preparing the chillies

Chilli mix: ancho, mulato and pasilla chillies each contribute to the sauce’s character. Remove their stems and most of the seeds, then soak the toasted pieces until pliable.

Soaking liquid: taste it before using it to thin the sauce. If it has a bitter flavour, stock is the alternative specified in the method.

Building flavour in stages

Tomatoes: roasting them before blending concentrates their flavour and makes them easy to combine with the other ingredients.

Spices: toast the sesame seeds, cloves, anise and peppercorns before adding the cinnamon and oregano briefly. Grinding everything to a fine powder helps it distribute evenly through the sauce.

Blending and adjusting

Liquid: start with 480 ml stock or suitable soaking liquid when blending the chillies with the onion and garlic. Add the remaining stock gradually, keeping track so the sauce does not become thinner than you want.

Texture: blend well after each addition, then taste as you go. If you would like a smoother finish, the method allows for straining the sauce after cooking.

Simmering and seasoning

Gentle cooking: heat the blended sauce in lard or oil, then add any stock left over from blending. Use a splatter screen or cover the pan, as the thick sauce may splatter while it heats.

Final balance: stir in the chocolate once the sauce is hot, then taste for salt. Stock varies in saltiness, so make the final adjustment at this point.

How to serve it

Enmoladas: fill corn tortillas with cooked shredded chicken and cheese, crisp them in the oven and pour the mole over the top, as suggested in the recipe.

The sauce can also be served over chicken or alongside tortillas and other components of a Mexican-inspired meal. Keep the sauce warm and add it just before serving.

Recipe notes & tips

• Toast the chillies only briefly so they do not scorch and turn bitter.
• Taste the soaking liquid before using it in place of stock.
• Keep track of the stock as you blend so you can control the sauce’s thickness.
• Grind the toasted spices finely to avoid coarse flecks in the sauce.
• Use a splatter screen or cover the saucepan while the mole heats.
• Add the salt gradually, especially if your stock is already seasoned.

Variations

• Use Mexican chocolate: swap it for the chocolate chips for a different chocolate option.
• Make it sweeter: use two or three times the stated amount of chocolate.
• Choose stock: use stock instead of chilli soaking liquid if the latter tastes bitter.
• Serve as enmoladas: fill corn tortillas with shredded chicken and cheese, then cover with sauce.
• Strain the sauce: pass it through a strainer after cooking for a smoother finish.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Scorching the chillies: keep their oven roast to 1–2 minutes or toast them for just 15–30 seconds per side.
• Using bitter soaking liquid: taste it first and switch to stock if you do not like its flavour.
• Adding all the stock at once: track the amount as you blend and reserve the rest for simmering.
• Leaving the spices coarse: grind the toasted mixture to a fine powder before adding it to the blender.
• Forgetting to taste at the end: adjust salt after the chocolate is incorporated, since stock saltiness varies.

How to store

Keep leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. Reheat it gently in a saucepan, stirring and loosening with a little stock if it has thickened.

Frequently asked questions