The pasilla is one of Mexico's great chilies, both for its taste and its versatility. For those of you who don't know this chili, it is the mildly hot fresh chilaca chili which has been dried. Almost anyone who has been to Mexico has seen it as it is the one floating atop tortilla soup.
Any variety of fresh chili can be dried and this is done to preserve them. But things get a little confusing as the process of drying them usually brings out a change of name. Just as the chilaca become the pasilla, the poblano becomes an ancho and the mirasol becomes the guajillo.
But things don't stop at this as there are differences in names from region to region. For example, in north central Mexico the guajillo is usually called cascabel.
In the case of the pasilla things get a bit complicated as in parts of the state of Michoacan the ancho is
called pasilla roja and a smoked dried hot, hot chili in Oaxaca is called a pasilla de Oaxaca. But for my purposes, the pasilla is always a dried chilaca.
Chile pasilla can be found in any supermarket in Mexico. They are sold in small quantities packaged in airtight bags. But if you would like to experience the wonderful sight and aroma of mountains of dried chilies, you might try a visit to a public market.
The best markets are in the villages and you will usually see the chilies spread out on a piece of cloth on the ground. The vendor, generally a woman, will probably try to sell you at least half a kilo, but if you say you have a small family you can buy as little as 100 grams.
When buying the chile pasilla, you will be looking for a chili about six inches long and an inch wide with a shiny, black, wrinkled skin. Make sure that the chilies you buy don't have mold. The well-dried ones will last for months when properly stored in ziplock bags.
The pasilla chili is prepared in table sauces, in delicious cooked sauces, and is served as a garnish. As a garnish it is lightly fried, drained and then either served whole or in small rings. But its most general use is in combination with other dried chilies in moles.
In moles it can either be the dominating chili or take a back seat to the other ones. In either case, it has a great flavor, one that you can get quite hooked on.
Dried chilies have to be softened before using. To do this, simmer the chilies in lightly salted water for five minutes. Remove from the heat and then leave to soak for another five minutes or cover with boiling water for 20 minutes. Then drain, run under cold water and remove the stems and seeds and puree with enough liquid to make a paste. Press the puree through a fine strainer to remove any bits of peel.
To get even more flavor out of them, dried chilies are often lightly toasted on a grill until their aroma is released. Then they are softened as above.
If you are new to chilies, I suggest that you start with less than what most recipes call for and work your way up. I still find, after more than 30 years in Mexico, that in many recipes (often, unfortunately, untested) the amount of chilies is far too much and I cut way back. If you do find that you have overdone it, adding some pureed tomatoes will lessen the sting.
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Sopa de Tortilla
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12 tortillas, at least a day old
2 pasilla chilies
oil for frying
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 large tomatoes, quartered
1 small white onion, quartered
1 clove garlic, peeled
8 cups chicken stock
1 sprig Italian parsley
salt, to taste
1 cup soft white cheese, cut in small cubes (in Mexico use panela cheese)
1 avocado, cut in cubes
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Cut the tortillas in very thin strips. Stem and seed the chilies. Heat oil in a large skillet and fry the tortilla strips and then the chilies until golden brown and then drain on paper toweling.
Puree the tomatoes, onion and garlic in a blender. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over a medium heat in a large saucepan and add the puree.
Simmer for 10 minutes and then add the stock, the parsley, the chilies and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Just before serving the soup, add the tortillas. Serve the soup garnished with the cubes of cheese and
avocado. 6-8 servings.
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Mole Negro Oaxaqueño
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1 4-pound chicken, cut in serving pieces
4 pasilla chilies
2 guajillo chilies
2 ancho chilies
2 cups boiling water
1 tomato, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, quartered
1 slice white bread
2 tablespoons dried apricots (soaked first in hot water for 20 minutes and then drained)
2 tablespoons peeled coarsely chopped almonds
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped peanuts
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cup chicken stock
1 ounce dark unsweetened chocolate
1 bay leaf
salt, to taste
2 tablespoons lightly toasted sesame seeds
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Simmer the chicken in lightly salted water for 45 minutes. Let cool in the broth.
Remove the stems and seeds from the chilies. Rinse under cold water and tear them into pieces. Put the pieces in a bowl with the boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes, turning several times to make sure they are covered with water.
In a blender, in batches, puree the chilies with 1 cup of the liquid, the tomato, onion, bread, apricots,
almonds, peanuts, garlic, sesame seeds, thyme, oregano, pepper, cinnamon and cloves.
In a large saucepan, heat the oil and cook the puree over a medium heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes.
Add the chicken stock, chocolate, bay leaf and salt. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the chicken and continue to simmer until the chicken is heated through and completely tender. 4-6 servings.
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Costillas de Puerco en Chile Pasilla
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8 medium-size tomatillos, husks removed
2 pasilla chilies, stemmed and seeded
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 small white onion, quartered
6 large pork chops
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups water or stock
2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
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Boil the tomatillos in lightly salted water until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Soak the chilies in boiling water to cover for 20 minutes. Drain. Put the tomatillos and chilies in the blender with 1 cup of the water or stock, the garlic and the onion. Puree.
Heat the oil in a large skillet and brown the chops on both sides over medium heat. Add the puree and cook for 5 minutes. Add the stock and the potatoes, salt to taste and cook covered over a low heat until the chops are tender, about 45 minutes. 6 servings
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Vicky Cowal, TheNews/Mexico Columnist - 8/30/2002.
Vicky Cowal has lived in Mexico City for the last 30 years. She has her own catering business and runs a cooking school. She has written extensively on cooking for newspapers and recently published a cookbook called "Las Mejores Recetas de Vicky" (Editorial Trillas). For further information, contact her at vickycowal@aol.com
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