Mole Poblano de Licuadora
El Fin de Semana y Tradiciones (The Abuelita Rituals & Sunday Suppers)
If you grew up in a Mexican household, you know the smell of mole—that intoxicating scent of Sunday afternoons and your grandmother standing over a simmering clay pot. For a long time, we thought this dark, complex sauce was an untouchable magic trick requiring three days and a volcanic stone grinder. But the truth is, modern Mexican grandmas hacked the system decades ago with the blender. We are using the canonical chiles and the old-school abuelita secret of animal crackers for thickening, but optimizing the process for your actual life. Make the concentrated paste on a Sunday, freeze it, and on a busy Wednesday you will have the authentic, uncompromising taste of the homeland on the table in fifteen minutes flat.
Before you start
Organize your ingredients before turning on the stove.
The frying stages move aggressively fast. Have your chiles cleaned, spices measured, and aromatics chopped before you begin so nothing burns while you are rummaging through the pantry for cloves.
Ingredients
- dried Chile Mulato6 med
- dried Chile Ancho4 med
- dried Chile Pasilla4 med
- dried Chile Chipotle2 med
- raw almonds1/4 cup
- raw unsalted peanuts1/4 cup
- sesame seeds1/4 cup
- Mexican cinnamon stick1 med
- whole cloves3 med
- black peppercorns1/2 tsp
- anise seed1/2 tsp
- neutral oil1/2 cup
- white onion1/2 med
- garlic4 small
- Roma tomatoes2 med
- tomatillo1 small
- ripe plantain1/2 med
- raisins1/4 cup
- stale corn tortilla1 med
- animal crackers1/2 cup
- chicken broth5 cup
- Mexican drinking chocolate1 med
- salt1 tsp
Method
- 01
Flash-fry the dried chiles to release their oils without turning them bitter.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Fry the chiles in small batches for just 15 to 20 seconds per side until they blister slightly, then transfer them to a large bowl and cover with hot water to soak for 20 minutes.
- 02
Toast the nuts, seeds, and spices in the hot oil until incredibly fragrant.
Add another splash of oil to the pot if needed. Toss in the almonds, peanuts, sesame seeds, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, and anise seed, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes before transferring them to a large holding bowl. Quickly fry the raisins until they puff up, then add them to the bowl.
- 03
Fry the aromatics and thickeners to develop a deep, caramelized sweetness.
Add 2 more tablespoons of oil and cook the onion, garlic, tomatoes, and tomatillo until soft and slightly charred, then transfer to the bowl. Finally, fry the plantain slices, torn tortilla, and animal crackers until deeply golden brown, saving whatever oil remains in the pot for later.
- 04
Blend the softened chiles and fried ingredients into a velvety puree.
Discard the bitter chile soaking water. Working in batches, load your blender with the chiles, the fried nut and aromatic mixture, and about 2 cups of the warm chicken broth. Blend on high until completely smooth, passing the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer if your blender struggles to break down the skins.
- 05
Fry the raw mole paste in hot oil to trigger the Maillard reaction and transform the flavor.
This is the crucial abuelita secret. Heat 2 more tablespoons of oil in the pot over medium heat, carefully pour in the blended paste, and stir constantly for 15 to 20 minutes until the color darkens to a rich brown and small pools of oil separate and rise to the surface.
- 06
Finish the sauce with broth and chocolate for tonight, or pack the paste away for an effortless weeknight dinner.
If you are eating immediately, whisk in the remaining 3 cups of chicken broth to reach a gravy-like consistency, add the Mexican chocolate and salt, and simmer for 15 minutes. If saving for later, let the thick paste cool completely and freeze it in glass jars; on a busy Wednesday, simply heat a scoop in a saucepan with broth and a chunk of chocolate.
Notes
Sourcing the Mulato chile is absolutely non-negotiable for authentic Poblano flavor.
While Ancho and Pasilla chiles provide the fruity, earthy backbone, the Mulato chile is what gives this mole its signature dark color and deep, chocolatey sweetness. It is entirely worth the trip to a local Mexican market.
Animal crackers are the ultimate old-school thickening secret.
While tortillas provide necessary starch, throwing a handful of animal crackers into the blender adds a nostalgic, subtle vanilla sweetness that perfectly balances the bitter chiles and rich chocolate.
From Cook Mexican in America.