Salsa Macha! So easy to prepare and not as spicy as it looks! You will find four variations of salsa macha on this post. To be honest with you, I cannot remember what I did before I begin cooking with dried chile peppers. These days, I cannot be without them, or I begin to panic, lol! Lucky for me, they are readily available online and if I am really lucky, many of the local markets carry them. If you see that photo below on another site or page, yeah, they kind of borrowed it without asking, lol!
La Salsa Masa Macha!
The two peppers used most often in our house were chile ancho and chile de arbol. Now and them, Mom would use the chile California for when she prepared Carne Con Chile Rojo(beef red chile). Because of the overwhelming response I have had for this recipe of salsa macha, I decided to create a blog post featuring the salsa on its own.
What do you use salsa macha for? I get that question often.
It is essentially a salsa prepared by frying the chiles and blending them with oil. It is similar to an Asian chile oil that you see in the markets. Different flavor profile though. It is a salsa made popular in Veracruz, Mexico where they like to use the smoky chile morita variety of peppers. For today’s post, I share with you several variations of salsa macha. As you read the recipe, I know it will seem like a large amount of chiles that I add to the recipe. I would not say this is a salsa to serve to your friends with chips. This is more like a salsa that you want garnishing those TASTY carne asada tacos after you have added the milder salsa. And not only for tacos, I use this salsa macha recipe to mix into marinades, vinaigrettes, soups and stews. it will last for a very long time in the coldest part of your refrigerator and freezes forever! #welovespicy #chileheads #foodieforlife
Depending on what market you visit, there are many different brands of dried chile pods. Look for the ones that feel soft not hard and brittle.
Chile de arbol and chile japones have very similar flavor profiles, so you could use either in this recipe.
What type of oil do I like to use for salsa macha?
If you have not noticed, I have slowly switched over to using avocado in most of my recipes. I prefer it over canola oil when I need a mild oil or oil with no flavor. Plus, it’s a more natural oil, where the canola oil is not. Don’t quote me on that, but that’s what I have read. Extra virgin olive oil is also a good choice.
Here is a variation on a Salsa macha recipe that I prepared in the molcajete. I will often mix in some chile morita, chipotle or piquin for a smoky finish on the salsa.
Salsa Macha-Variation
20 chile de arbol
6 chile morita
1 full tablespoon chile piquin
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup olive oil
2 tsps. coarse sea salt or kosher salt. More to taste.
2 tablespoons white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, optional
1. Combine the dried chiles(stems removed) with garlic and oil in a saucepan. Heat to medium. When it comes to a rapid simmer, reduce to medium/low and continue cooking, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes. The larger chile morita should puff up and other chiles should darken a little. The garlic should look golden.
2. Strain the peppers and garlic, reserving all of the oil. Transfer to the molcajete, add salt and crush until broken down pretty fine. If the larger peppers are hard to break down, they did not get toasted enough. That’s ok, just chop them really well with a knife. Add all of the reserved oil to the molcajete. Stir in the vinegar if using and taste for salt.
Salsa MACHA
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 cups avocado or olive oil plus more oil when blending
- 2 oz chile de arbol stems removed (2 cups)
- 2 oz chile Guajillo stems and seeds removed
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Directions
- In a saucepan, combine the oil, chile de arbol, chile guajillo and garlic. Heat to medium/low.
- After a few minutes when the peppers become aromatic, lower heat slightly. Stir the peppers around every minute. Some of the peppers will become bright red and slightly soft. Do not let them get too dark or they will be bitter. Season the vinegar with salt, to taste. Pour the mixture into the saucepan. Stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.
- If you would like to add peanuts, pepitas or sesame seeds, add them towards the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time. The amount is up to you.
- Once cool, transfer chile and oil mixture to the blender. Pulsevto blend, add more oil if it's too thick. Taste for salt. Yields 2 1/2 cups.
Notes
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Comments
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this salsa looks fantastic and probably good on everything, thank you!!! I wrote you a while ago asking about a spice condiment I once was given. My friend is going to send me something and I think it’s what I had before but here’s her description of it, maybe you’ve heard of it, keep cooking and thank u
“Sitting around for everything”…..is exactly what will happen for this! Sounds super! Thanks, Kiddo! I just love
getting all these Mexican recipes!
Listen, Charles……I’ve got a wonderful something to send to you. Could you please send me your address? It is a Mexican condiment….homemade (so far not available commercially) the the kitchens of the state of Puebla, Mex.
I don’t have an exact recipe except to say it is made with sesame seeds and Piquin chilis only. I’ll find out from friends
in Mex. what the proportions are. It is VERY simple to make: dry toast the seeds and chilis in a fry pan (can’t tell
you how good that smells!) then grind them together in a metate. I know from tasting it in different kitchens, that the ratio of chili to sesame is critical, and how finely one grinds the stuff. Anyway, I will send it to you and suggest you sprinkle it on anything and everything ! YOU. WILL. LOVE. IT! Keep it in the fridge and it will last, literally for ever! I have a jar of it that I have had since 1974 and it is still simply wonderful! A friend from Puebla was visiting recently and brought me 4 jars of it! So now I have enough to share….and this batch comes from
the BEST kitchen in Teziutlan, Pue. Do use it carefully….Piquins are some of the hottest chilis around. The jar I’m going to send you will last you for 40 forevers!���� BTW, it is called Ajonjoli (spanish word for sesame.)
I can’t say that I know of that brand exactly, but there are many companies that offer spice blends that resemble a mole.
Hi, I bought Brava Salsa Macha Cacahuate when I visited Monterrey, MX. This stuff is really hot and I love heat. I kept it in the fridge and when it jelled, I would scoop out a pea sized portion and that made a plate full of food plenty hot. More than that would make me gag. I’m looking for a recipe that is this hot. Do you think that either one of your recipes are this hot or hotter? Or if not what would you suggest?
Thanks!
I don’t know your heat level, so I could say it’s hot, but maybe you like it hotter(more spicy). You could try mixing in some dried chile piquin or chile morita. They are both spicy. I have a batch of chile de arbol that is really spicy.
Ok. Thanks. Looking forward to trying it!
Thank for the recipe. l love the Macha salsas.
I always look forward for your email’s you send out.
Thank You Randy!
Any suggestions for the ratio with piquin chilis and sesame seeds. Sounds really good, would love to know. Thank you Isaac
Hi Isaac, I would say per cup of salsa macha, I would add 4-6 chile piquin. And as far as the sesame seeds, maybe 1 teaspoon per cup. Just add a little, blend and taste as you go.
Perfect recipe, and great explanation
Thank you Kimberly!