Pipian Rojo

December 17, 2019

Pipian Rojo - kvalifood.com

Pipian rojo is a Mexican pumpkin seed sauce from Puebla and surrounding regions, built on dried ancho chiles and warm spices. The technique: toast the seeds, blend everything, fry the puree, then simmer with broth.

Serve it over poached or braised chicken, pork, or turkey. It is also used with tamales and enchiladas.

Ingredients

180 g hulled raw pumpkin seeds
4 large dried ancho chiles (ca. 48 g), stemmed, seeded, torn
2-3 dried chiles de arbol (ca. 6 g), stemmed, seeded (optional)
1/2 large white onion (ca. 100 g), sliced thick
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled (ca. 15 g)
50 g roasted peanuts
36 g raw sesame seeds
5 allspice berries
3 whole cloves
1/4 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1 piece canela (ca. 1 cm)
1 piece bolillo (or baguette) (ca. 30 g)
1.4 L chicken broth
3 tbsp lard (or vegetable oil)
2 tsp salt, to taste
1 tbsp agave syrup (or honey), to taste

Directions

Toast pumpkin seeds and peanuts in a dry skillet until seeds pop (3-4 minutes). Reserve 2 tbsp seeds. Transfer rest to a heavy pot.
Toast sesame seeds until golden (2-3 minutes). Add to the pot.
Toast allspice, cloves, peppercorns, oregano, and canela until fragrant. Add to the pot.
Press ancho pieces flat against the hot skillet, 15 seconds per side. Toast arbol chiles briefly. Add to the pot.
Char onion, bread, and garlic. Add to the pot. Peel garlic.
Add broth and salt. Boil, then simmer covered 30 minutes. Rest covered 20 minutes.
Blend in batches until smooth. Strain if gritty.
Clean the pot. Heat lard until very hot. Pour in the blended pipian. Stir, reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes until glossy.
Stir in agave. Adjust salt. Garnish with reserved seeds.

Notes

The fry-in-hot-fat step is the most important technique.
Canela (Ceylon cinnamon) is more delicate than cassia. Use less if substituting.
Stores well for 5 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen. Thin with broth when reheating.
Makes ca. 1 liter sauce (6 servings).