The mole usually includes cilantro.
The Mexican sauce called mole (pronounced moh-lay), actually refers to several different sauces. They are often casually defined as any Mexican sauce that contains chocolate, but individual sauces or dishes made with it can use many different ingredients. The name is derived from the Aztec word molli, which means stew or sauce, or is considered a mixture of ingredients.
Cumin powder, which is usually included in the mole.
There are many stories about the origin of mole, and most agree that the sauce was invented in the late 17th century and was an attempt to blend New World ingredients, such as chocolate, with Old World spices. Many believe that it may have been an invention of Sister Superior Andrea of the Santa Rosa convent, as a way of thanking the Archbishop for the construction of the Puebla convent in Los Angeles, Mexico.
Powdered cinnamon is often added to the mole.
Mole poblano might be a dish that many are familiar with. It is usually made with poultry, chicken or turkey, cooked with sauce. The sauce is usually presented in the form of a paste, which when heated becomes homogeneous. In fact, you can buy mole paste, although chefs naturally recommend making your own. Spices can include allspice, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, coriander, and cloves. The spice blend features the mix of sweet and salty that exemplifies any good sauce.
The cloves can be used to season the mole.
This sauce can come in many colors. Green mole, for example, focuses on adding tomatillos to get the green color. This may be called green mole and often includes pumpkin seeds. Mole negro, or black mole, includes black chilhuacle chile, which gives the sauce a deep dark brown color. Yellow mole often uses Guajillo or New Mexico chiles for a yellow to tan colored sauce.
Pumpkin seeds are often part of the green mole.
Mole sauces of all kinds can be added to any soup or stew, and complements many traditional Mexican dishes. Enchiladas with sauce are quite common in Mexico. Many Mexican culinary experts believe that the residents of the state of Oaxaca produce the best varieties in Mexico, offering seven different types. In Veracruz, the green type differs from the other forms in that it does not include pumpkin seeds.
You can make a mole with Mexican chocolate and cinnamon.
Making mole at home can be fun, but the ingredients, especially cocoa beans, can be hard to come by. Most chefs suggest the alternative of melting Ibarra chocolate, also called Mexican chocolate. If you’re having trouble finding ingredients, such as specific peppers to make the various types, Mexican or Latin supermarkets are the best places to look.