Chilies
Guajillo Chili Pods
DON EFE
The dry variety, which is the second most popular dried chilie in Mexican cooking, is called guajillo.
Guajillo chilies are used in many different Mexican dishes and have numerous uses. To prepare salsa for tamales, pambazos, consomés, carne adobada, or mole, for example.
The dried fruits are first seeded, soaked, or boiled, and then they are crushed, pureed, or pulverized into a paste. Finally, they are cooked with a few additional ingredients to create a tasty sauce.
Guajillo chilies are used to flavor meats, fat, and oil together with other components in marinades, sauces, pastes, butters, and spice rubs. With its milder taste, guajillo chilies are great with fish and poultry or as an accompaniment to salsa.
Pasilla Chili Pods
DON EFE
The phrase "pasilla" (which translates to "little raisin" in Spanish) refers to the black, wrinkled, richly flavored, mildly to fiery dried form of the chilaca chili pepper. The best way to enjoy pasilla is with duck, shellfish, lamb, mushrooms, garlic, fennel, honey, or oregano. They are also great alone or in sauces. It is widely used in Mexican cuisine for red enchilada sauce, pozole rojo, and mole negro. Make an incredibly rich Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole or serve it with Black Beans and Chorizo Breakfast Burrito.
