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La Piña en la Cocina

Embracing my Mexican heritage and sharing all the wonderful flavors, colors and foods I grew up with. Join me on this journey as I also learn new foods and cooking techniques. Dedicated to my parents Ramiro and Blanca.

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Home » Salsa~Salsa » Dried Chiles » Dried Chiles~ Staples of a Mexican Kitchen

Dried Chiles~ Staples of a Mexican Kitchen

May 19, 201419 Comments

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For as far back as I can remember, there were a few “must have” staples in my mom’s kitchen. Tomatoes, fresh chiles, onions, cilantro and a variety of dried chile peppers. What, no garlic? People are surprised when I tell them how fresh garlic was not used in my mom’s everyday cooking as they had imagined. The fresh garlic was reserved for cooking frijoles or caldos (soups). I always assumed that it was because she was too busy raising eight kids, she did not have time to mince garlic, lol! Of course, there was always that jar of garlic powder in the cupboard for guisados and rice.

Dried chiles can be used in everyday dishes to add a little heat and rich red colors!

Dried chiles can be used in everyday dishes to add a little heat and rich red colors!

Since those days, I have learned to cook with fresh garlic and lots of it. One thing that was a constant was that storage container with half torn plastic bags of dried chile peppers, such as chile ancho and chile de arbol. The chile ancho was must for tamales, chile colorado and costillas de puerco. And with tamales, came the salsa de tomatillo, prepared spicy with the added chile de arbol.  
Toasted Chile Salsa with pumpkin, sesame seeds, oregano

Pepitas, Sesame Seeds and Oregano? Delicious!

 For this blog post today, I want to share some pictures of the dried chiles I keep in my kitchen. Besides the few dishes I mentioned above, you can prepare a variety of sauces and salsa’s using the dried chiles. It’s a Toasted Chile Salsa, which also includes toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and ajonjoli (sesame seeds). I have prepared many dried chile recipes and will add a few new ones to this post every month.

Dried chiles, herbs,nuts and seeds are all essential to an authentic Mexican kitchen.
Dried chiles, herbs, nuts and seeds are all essential to an authentic Mexican kitchen.

Spicy Taqueria Salsa

Spicy Taqueria-Style Salsa

5 Roma tomatoes
15 chile de arbol
2 cloves garlic
1 cup beef broth rendered from barbacoa or beef roast
*you want it to have a little bit of fat from the beef
Salt to taste

Directions 

Cover the tomatoes and chile de arbol with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tomato skins strat to tear open and tomatoes soften. Drain the water and transfer mix to blender. Add garlic and blend until smooth. Add beef broth and blend for another few seconds, taste for salt. The flavor on this will just improve the longer it sits. My sister in law Norma taught me this great recipe from when she had her own taqueria food truck. Yields about 2 cups.

Note~ This hot sauce has a shorter shelf life because of the added broth, up to a week is good.

Salsa Ranchera Estilo La Costeña. I remember going home to L.A. and trips to the Giant Dollar store. Mom would purchase at least 10 jars of La Costeña brand Salsa Ranchera. Not many store bought brands she liked, but this one was delicious! This is my version of the Salsa Ranchera but with chile de arbol instead of jalapeños. Scroll to the end to get printable recipe!

Salsa Ranchera

Salsa Ranchera

Tips~For my version of this salsa, I prefer to use chile de arbol. I believe the bottled version they use jalapeños.

Salsa Ranchera

Salsa Ranchera

Chile de Arbol
Chile de Arbol is my favorite, go to pepper for many of my salsa recipes. It pairs well with tomatillos!

Toasted Chile de Arbol Hot Sauce, a variation that is prepared with   mostly vinegar and water. I learned how to prepare an Asian style chile sauce a few years back and this is the same method I used to prepare this recipe. I did not add any sugar, but you most certainly can if you like it sweet and spicy. Besides just enjoying it as a hot sauce, I use this as a base for a spicy marinade on seafood or chicken with a little added oil , citrus and more garlic.

Chile de Arbol Hot Sauce. The vinegar will preserve this chile sauce for a few months.
Chile de Arbol Hot Sauce. The vinegar will preserve this chile sauce for a few months. The charred tomatillos gives this hot sauce a nice finish.



1/4 pound of Chile de arbol (about 2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 cups water
2 cups white vinegar
4 roasted tomatillos (I char them on the stove top in a little oil)
Salt to taste

1. Toast the chile de arbol in a skillet and medium/low heat for a few minutes. Turn it often so it does not burn. You will have some dark spots and it will become aromatic. Remove from heat and transfer to the blender.

2. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the blender. Blend on high until mostly smooth.

3. Transfer hot sauce to saucepan and heat to medium. Stir well to combine and continue cooking for 8-10 minutes. Taste for salt. Let cool completely at room temperature before storing in an airtight container. It will keep in refrigerator for a few months.

Toasting the chile de arbol adds a nice smoky flavor. They toast quickly. I remove them from the heat as soon as they become aromatic.

Toasting the chile de arbol adds a nice smoky flavor. They toast quickly. I remove them from the heat as soon as they become aromatic.

Salsa Macha~Salsa de Aceite ~ Oil Based Chile de Arbol Salsa

I have prepared this style of salsa before many times, but really did not know the true name for it, lol! The other day while browsing through youtube, I came across a food video in Spanish and there it was! I like to add some vinegar to mine for that hint of acid that I love so much.

Salsa de Aceite-Chile Oil-Estilo la Carretas


1 cup oil, avocado or olive, plus 1/4 cup reserved

1/4 pound chile de arbol, stems removed

5 chile California or guajillos, stems and seeds removed
6 cloves garlic
1/3 cup cider vinegar
Salt to taste
*more oil if needed

Directions

1. In a pan, combine the 1 cup oil, chile de arbol, Chile California peppers and garlic. Bring up to a light simmer at medium heat. When the peppers become aromatic, lower heat and stir often. You want the peppers to become bright red and slightly soft. Do not let them get dark or they will be bitter. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Transfer chile/oil mixture to the blender, add vinegar and salt to taste. Pulse to blend, adding more oil if it’s too thick. Yields about 2 1/2 cups.

Chile Japones
Chile Japones is very similar to chile de arbol, a good substitute when chile de arbol is not available

 

Chile Pequin
Chile Pequin is one of my favorites, hard to find, spicy, adds great flavor and heat!

 

Chile Ancho
Chile Ancho is the pepper commonly found in most dark chili powders, mild most of the time.

 

Chiles New Mexico, California and Guajillos are very similar
Chiles New Mexico, California and Guajillos are very similar and mild, but add a great vibrant red color

 

Chile Pasilla tends to be one of the darkest in color
Chile Pasilla tends to be one of the darkest in color.

 

Chile Chipotle adds some good heat and smoky flavors to your recipes
Chile Chipotle, similar to morita adds some good heat and smoky flavors to your recipes
Dried Chiles

Toasted Chile Salsa (pumpkin, sesame seeds, oregano)

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Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup raw pepitas pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup ajonjoli sesame seeds
  • 24 chile de arbol stems removed
  • 2 chile guajillo
  • 1/2 tablespoon Mexican oregano
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • Juice of 1 key lime
  • salt to t

Instructions

  • Preheat a comal or griddle pan to medium/low heat for 5 minutes. Add all the chiles, pepitas and ajonjoli to the comal or griddle. When toasting chiles, seeds or nuts, you should never leave them unattended because they can burn easily. Toast them for about 5 to 7 minutes, turning as needed.
  • When the peppers become aromatic and blacken in some spots, they are ready. The sesame seeds and pepitas will also turn slightly brown in color. If you let any of them go too long, they will taste bitter. Before removing ingredients from comal, add the oregano for a minute.
  • Transfer all of the ingredients to the blender. Add all of the remaining ingredients listed. Blend on high until smooth. You will have to push ingredients down with a spatula a couple of times to make sure it all blends well. Taste for salt. If you want to thin out the salsa a little more, just add a little more water.
Tried this recipe?Mention @pinaenlacocina or tag #pinaenlacocina!
top view of salsa ranchera in a bowl

Salsa Ranchera

This is my copycat version of the salsa ranchera from La Costeña that my mom loved so much!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salsa
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4 cups

Ingredients

  • 6 large tomatillos peeled and washed
  • 4 chile ancho stems and seeds removed
  • 12 to 24 chile de arbol depending on your heat level. stems removed
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 section large white onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin optional(not traditional, but I like it in this recipe)
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • Remove the stems and seeds from the chile ancho and just the stems from chile de arbol.
  • Add all of the ingredients, minus the oregano, cumin and salt, to a pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 20 minutes.
  • Drain the water and transfer to the blender. Add the oregano, cumin and salt to taste. Blend on high until smooth.
  • Pour salsa into sauce pan and heat to medium. When it comes up to a simmer, reduce heat and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Taste for salt. Store room temperature salsa in tight sealed glass jars refrigerated for 7-10 days.

Notes

In the original bottled version, they have jalapeños listed in the ingredients. If adding adding jalapeños, reduce the chile de arbol by half. I would add at least 3 jalapeños. You can toast or dry roast the ingredients before simmering for added flavor!
Tried this recipe?Mention @pinaenlacocina or tag #pinaenlacocina!

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Filed Under: Chiles/Hot Peppers, Dried Chiles, Hot Sauce, Salsa Recipes, Salsa~Salsa, Traditional Mexican Recipes Tagged With: Dried Chiles, Salsa, Salsa Macha, salsa ranchera

Previous Post: « Nopalitos con Rajas en Salsa Verde (Cactus with Roasted Green Chiles in Tomatillo Salsa)
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sonia

    May 19, 2014 at 2:13 pm

    Thanks Gary!!!!! Thanks for following along with me…and thanks for the feedback.

    Reply
  2. Platanos, Mangoes and Me!

    May 19, 2014 at 4:40 pm

    Interesting that you use key lime..is there a reason…And I too use a lot o garlic as growing up I only saw powdered. Very pretty sauce…

    Reply
    • Sonia

      May 19, 2014 at 6:15 pm

      In Mexico, well, at least in mt family, they used the small key limes all the time. The flavor is amazing compared to the regular limes. At least I think so.

      Reply
  3. Platanos, Mangoes and Me!

    May 19, 2014 at 4:42 pm

    I tried leaving a comment…did you get it

    Reply
    • Sonia

      May 19, 2014 at 6:16 pm

      Yes, I did get the comment…thanks Norma

      Reply
  4. Platanos, Mangoes and Me!

    May 27, 2014 at 2:00 pm

    I agree about the key lime

    Reply
  5. Keith R. Starkey

    July 15, 2017 at 11:24 am

    Goodness! I like heat and all, but, girl, you are all about the Arbil! Ha! Thanks much.

    Reply
    • Keith R. Starkey

      July 15, 2017 at 11:25 am

      Arbil. Sheesh! Spell checkers!

      Reply
    • Sonia

      July 16, 2017 at 10:16 am

      I really, really enjoy my chiles Keith! No doubt about it.

      Reply
  6. Kathy Hampton

    August 15, 2018 at 10:54 am

    I have never read a more well written set of recipes. I love making my own salsas and your recipes are so easy to follow. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Sonia

      August 15, 2018 at 10:36 pm

      Thank you so much Kathy! I really appreciate your feedback on the recipes.

      Reply
  7. Marissa Gonzalez

    January 30, 2020 at 11:31 am

    Hi Sonia, My ex mother in law died before I could get this salsa recipe from her and had hoped you had heard of it. She got it from her mother in law who was from Mexico, but I can’t remember from where. She used to make this white salsa with green chiles. I’m not sure if she used poblanos or tomatillos but it was definitely made with evaporated milk. It was so delicious and unique. I haven’t been able to find a recipe for this and don’t know which part of Mexico it could be from. I was hoping you could help me. I appreciate it. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Sonia

      January 30, 2020 at 11:35 am

      Hi Marissa, I can’t say that I have ever heard of this salsa before. Was a sauce, salsa or more like a cheese sauce? I mean I could imagine how it comes together, but with evaporated milk I imagine it looks like a sauce. Sounds delicious! I could ask some of my fellow food bloggers and see if they know of this salsa. Many time roasted poblanos are blended with crema or in this case evaporated milk.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Making tamales: substitutes and tips for missing ingredients — Piper Haywood says:
    March 14, 2018 at 12:35 pm

    […] — Forgot to add, I made this toasted chile de arbol salsa to go with the tamales. It’s seriously hot (I’m embarrassingly wimpy when it comes to […]

    Reply
  2. Taqueria-Style Salsa Recipes - La Piña en la Cocina says:
    July 25, 2018 at 10:41 am

    […] Spicy Taqueria-Style Salsa For Barbacoa  https://pinaenlacocina.com/dried-chiles-staples-of-a-mexican-kitchen/ […]

    Reply
  3. Spicy Chorizo and Shrimp - La Piña en la Cocina says:
    April 28, 2019 at 8:20 pm

    […] One of my favorite of salsa recipes prepared with dried chile is this recipe for salsa ranchera. Click onto the link to see the full recipe and why it has a special place in my heart. https://pinaenlacocina.com/dried-chiles-staples-of-a-mexican-kitchen/ […]

    Reply
  4. Homemade Queso Fresco (Queso Casero) - La Piña en la Cocina says:
    October 14, 2019 at 8:59 am

    […] Recipe For Salsa Macha! https://pinaenlacocina.com/dried-chiles-staples-of-a-mexican-kitchen/ […]

    Reply
  5. Huevos a La Mexicana (Mexican-Style Scrambled Eggs) - La Piña en la Cocina says:
    December 8, 2019 at 11:47 am

    […] de Arbol Salsa/Hot Sauce! https://pinaenlacocina.com/dried-chiles-staples-of-a-mexican-kitchen/Tomatillo Salsa Recipes!! […]

    Reply
  6. How To Prepare Adobo - La Piña en la Cocina says:
    December 23, 2019 at 6:46 am

    […] The best way to approach any chile sauce recipe is to start with a mild dried chile pepper. Chile guajillo is the most mild, in my experience, of the large dried chiles. Click the link to see more recipes using dried chiles. https://pinaenlacocina.com/dried-chiles-staples-of-a-mexican-kitchen/ […]

    Reply

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Welcome!

Hi, my name is Sonia Mendez Garcia. My parents Ramiro and Blanca Mendez moved to the United States from Monterrey, Mexico in 1963. I am first generation Mexican American born in Los Angeles, California. Cooking has always been one of my passions in life. This is my journey and I can't wait to see what the future holds. Read More…

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