Chocolate Mole

Mole.  Not the animal, the sauce.  From the Nahuatl word molli meaning "sauce."  You know, like guacamole.  The Nahuatl word for avocado is āhuacatl, which became aguacate in Spanish.  So ahuacamolli becomes guacamole, or quite literally, avocado sauce.  But back to mole.




Over the weekend I was traveling with some friends and we were in dire need of food. We were in a small farm town and the majority of the options were Mexican food. Being Mexican myself, having Mexican be the only option is not really an issue.

After some searching on Yelp, we found what seemed to be the higher ranked restaurant in the city. And everyone said their mole was top notch. Being one of my favorites, I had to get the mole. Sadly, what was served to me was no different than what I can make at home. So my disappointing experience has served as inspiration for this post.

What most people think of as mole is actually called mole poblano. The main ingredients include chile, chocolate, and peanuts (believe it or not, those are all native to Mexico).  Few people I know, and even fewer restaurants, can make mole from scratch, so here's the "cheating" version.

You'll need:
- 1 container of mole concentrate
- peanut butter or one cup of crushed toasted peanuts.
- 1 brick of Mexican hot chocolate
- chile powder or crushed dried spicy chiles
- sesame seeds
- cooked chicken (preferably things with bones)

1. Put the mole paste, chocolate, peanut butter and chile in a pot.  Follow the instructions on the mole container.  It should say something like mix 1 part paste and 4 parts water, then bring to a boil.  Stir constantly so it doesn't burn.  

2. Once everything is well mixed, add the meat and let simmer until sauce has thickened. Take chicken out and place in plate. Then cover generously with mole, then top with sesame seeds. Serve with rice, beans and fresh tortillas.

The concentrate paste already has these ingredients. By adding more "fresh" ingredients, it helps intensify the flavors.  It's really a matter of preference as far as amounts of chocolate, peanut butter and chile to add. My preference is to add the entire brick of chocolate, two heaping tablespoons of peanut butter, and a pinch of dried chiles. But you can adjust to fit your preferences.

It's not a flavor many enjoy.  I know plenty of Mexicans who don't like it.  When a Portuguese friend tried it, she made the the most awful face as if she had just had spoiled milk.  

There are actually about a half dozen different types of "actual" moles.  Cuisine of the Mexican state of Oaxaca is known for their use of moles.  They come in all colors and they range from sweet to very spicy.  If you're ever in the San Francisco Bay Area, try the Oaxacan restaurant Mezcal in San Jose (South Bay).  No salsas, only moles, and they're all delicious!

This is what mole concentrate looks like