Salsa de Semillas. Toasted Chile and Seed Salsa
It was 2011 and the decision to return to Mexico, after fifteen years, without my parents was bittersweet. My tia (aunt) Minerva, took me under her wing and unsuspectedly taught me some new things about cooking Mexican dishes. The simple technique of lightly toasting or frying dried chiles and seeds was a game changer for me. She sent me home with jars of spices and seeds that I was not accustomed to cooking with. I call this salsa the mole teaser! It combines dried chiles and toasted seeds to yield the most delicious creamy salsa!
Servings 12 ounces
Ingredients
- 20 chile de arbol or japones, 7 gr after stems are removed removed
- 2 chile guajillo, 16 gr After removing stems and seeds. Reserve 1 tsp. of the seeds
- 1/4 c 30 gr, raw pepitas, pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 c 35 gr, sesame seeds
- 1 tsp. Cumin seeds
- 1 1/2 tsps. Mexican oregano
- 4 cloves garlic, 28 gr
- 1 1/2 cups hot water
- 1/4 cup of white vinegar
- Juice of 1 large lime
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat a comal(griddle) to medium/low heat for 3-4 minutes. Add all the dried chiles. After 0ne or two minutes, the peppers will become aromatic. Using a flat edge wooden spoon, gently press the peppers against the hot griddle to speed up the toasting. Turn as needed. You should see some blackening in some spots. The toasting will bring out more flavor. Remove the peppers and set them aside.
- To the hot griddle, add the pepitas, sesame seeds and cumin seeds. Stirring often, toast the seeds until the pepitas and sesame seeds turn a light golden brown and begin to pop. This should take a few minutes. When toasting chiles, seeds or nuts, you should never leave them unattended because they can burn easily. Turn the griddle off and add the oregano and seeds from the chile guajillo. Toast for 30 seconds, then remove it from the hot griddle.
- In a glass measuring cup, heat the water in the microwave for 90 seconds. Transfer the dried chiles to the blender jar. Pour in 1 cup of hot water. Cover and let it sit for 5 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients listed. Blend on high until smooth. Halfway through, stop and scrape down the sides of the blender jar. Blend on high for 30 seconds. Taste for salt. If you want to thin out the salsa a little more, mix in a little more water. The salsa tends to thicken as it sits. Excellent salsa for grilled steak, chicken or grilled pork chops!
Notes
Tips and Variations: Toast some extra seeds to decorate the top of the salsa before serving. Add a mix of nuts like slivered almonds, chopped pecans or peanuts to add different layers of flavors.
Whisk this salsa with some olive oil and use it for an adobo or marinade for chicken or pork.
Blend with some Mexican crema and chicken broth to prepare some bomb chicken enchiladas!
For a milder version, reduce the arbol peppers by half and add 2 more chile guajillo. Easy Ribeye Steaks. I seasoned 3 thin ribeye steaks with salt and pepper. I pan seared them in a preheated nonstick skillet set to medium/high heat for several minutes. I drizzled in some avocado oil and less than one minute later, sear the steaks for 3 minutes on the first side, then flip and sear for another 2 minutes. I let them rest for 10 minutes. I diced them up, then reheated the beef in a smoking hot skillet for less than one minute. Served right away in the tacos. Prep all of the other ingredients for the tacos ahead of time before reheating the diced steak.
Whisk this salsa with some olive oil and use it for an adobo or marinade for chicken or pork.
Blend with some Mexican crema and chicken broth to prepare some bomb chicken enchiladas!
For a milder version, reduce the arbol peppers by half and add 2 more chile guajillo. Easy Ribeye Steaks. I seasoned 3 thin ribeye steaks with salt and pepper. I pan seared them in a preheated nonstick skillet set to medium/high heat for several minutes. I drizzled in some avocado oil and less than one minute later, sear the steaks for 3 minutes on the first side, then flip and sear for another 2 minutes. I let them rest for 10 minutes. I diced them up, then reheated the beef in a smoking hot skillet for less than one minute. Served right away in the tacos. Prep all of the other ingredients for the tacos ahead of time before reheating the diced steak.