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Mole (pronounced [ˈmole]) (Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl mulli or molli, "sauce") is the generic name for several sauces used in Mexican cuisine, as well as for dishes based on these sauces. In English, it often refers to a specific sauce which is known in Spanish by the more specific name mole poblano.1 The word is also widely known in the combined form guacamole (avocado mole).2 In contemporary Mexico, the term is used for a number of sauces, some quite dissimilar to each other and include black, red, yellow, colorado, green, almendrado, pipián.3 The most popular kinds come from the Mexican states of Puebla and Oaxaca, and there is an annual national competition in the town of San Pedro Atocpan in the Milpa Alta borough of Mexico's Federal District, on the southern outskirts of Mexico City.4
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Types of mole
Mole
Mole poblano, whose name comes from the Mexican state of Puebla, is a popular sauce in Mexican cuisine and is the mole that most people in the U.S. think of when they think of mole. Mole poblano is prepared with dried chile peppers (commonly ancho, pasilla, mulato and chipotle), ground nuts and/or seeds (almonds, indigenous peanuts, and/or sesame seeds), spices, Mexican chocolate (cacao ground with sugar and cinnamon and occasionally nuts), salt, and a variety of other ingredients including charred avocado leaves, onions, and garlic. Dried seasonings such as ground oregano are also used. In order to provide a rich thickness to the sauce, bread crumbs or crackers are added to the mix.
Mole de cacahuate
Another somewhat less popular mole is mole de cacahuate, made of ground peanuts and chiles and also typically served with chicken.
Mole verde
Mole verde achieves its distinctive green color from the toasted pumpkin seeds that form the sauce's base. As well as using ingredients such as Romaine Lettuce, cilantro, epazote, and tomatillos (also "tomate verde" in Spanish).
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Ingredients
Preparation
There are various procedures to make mole. Generally the following are universal when making mole. Dried chili peppers, cut up onions and whole garlic are lightly fried in oil. In a blender, chicken broth along with the fried dried peppers and the rest of the ingredients are mixed and placed in a large pot. The resulting mixture sauce has to be continuously stirred on a low-medium flame. Bread crumbs or crackers mixed with chicken broth are also put in a blender and added to the pot.
Mole can be bought ready-made from local markets or supermarkets. It comes as a kind of paste or powder that can vary in color from deep black to green or even yellow, depending on the ingredients used. In modern supermarkets and corner shops, mole is sold either canned, in glass jars, or in cubes that can be dissolved in water or, more appropriately, broth.
In Guatemala, "mole" refers to a dessert composed of fried or boiled chunks of plantain in a chocolate/spice sauce, sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Festive use
Weddings
Cinco de Mayo
- See also: Cinco de Mayo
Quinceaneras
- See also: Quinceañeras
Dia de los Muertos
- See also: Dia de los Muertos
During Dia de los Muertos, mole is a popular offering to dead loved ones, because of its many ingredients. Since it is eaten on special occasions, many see it as a fit offering.
Competitions and festivals
Nutritional value
See also
References
- ^ "Mole Poblano: Mexico's National Food Dish". MEXonline.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
- ^ Sauers, Diza. "Holy Mole". Tuscon Weekly. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
- ^ "What is the Sauce Called Mole?". Wisegeek.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
- ^ Britt, Greg. "Perfect Mole in Puebla". The Herald Mexico. Retrieved on 2008-05-10.
External links
- A mole recipe from the Vegan Society
- Doña Maria Mole is the most prominent brand of poblano(traditional) mole
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 5 December 2008, at 07:35.
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