GET THE RECIPE!
1 lb. + dried ayocotes ¼ large white onion 3-4 large garlic cloves 2 dried avocado leaves 1 ½ tbsp. coarse sea salt 1 tsp. tequesquite rocks
½ cup diced white onion ¼ cup chopped cilantro ½ cup diced ¼ cup minced serrano
8 chile guajillo dried 4 chile pasilla, dried 4 chile mulato 6-8 chile de árbol dried ⅓ cup raw whole almonds (50 g) 1/3 cup raw shelled pumpkin seeds 1/3 cup raw white sesame seeds 1/3 cup raw shelled peanuts ½ tsp. thyme, dried ½ tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. oregano, dried 4 large allspice berries 4 large whole cloves 6 black peppercorns 1 Ceylon cinnamon stick 1 medium white onion 3-4 large garlic cloves 4-6 corn tortillas ¾ cup raisins (100g) 2 tbsp. avocado oil
STEP 1
In a small cup, mix the tequesquite rocks with a small amount of water letting it soak for a few mins while we prepare the rest of the ingredients. In a large cooking pot, throw in the soaked beans with onion, garlic cloves, avocado leaves, and salt, filling the pot with enough water to completely submerge everything with an additional 2-3 inches of water above the bean level.
STEP 2
Add in the tequesquite water being careful as to get as little of the sediment of the rocks as possible, stir, cover the pot with its lid, and bring it to a boil over med-high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a med-low flame and let cook for 1 ½ - 2 hrs or until beans are fully cooked from the inside, turn off flame, remove onion, avocado leaves, and garlic and set aside meanwhile we prepare the mole paste.
STEP 3
Fill a large bowl with warm water to soak the ingredients once we have finished toasting them for make it easier to blend in a food processor/blender. In a skillet or saucepan, toast the ingredients in groups as listed in the order above. Start with the chiles, toasting them for about 20-30 secs, being careful not to burn them as this will impart a bitter flavor to the mole. Once toasted, place into the bowl of water to soak.
STEP 4
Toast the nuts and seeds until fragrant. Once toasted place into the bowl of water. The spices will need the most amount of attention as they can burn the fastest; they should only be toasted for a few secs and then placed into the water bowl. The final group of ingredients will take the longest because we want to get a really nice char on the onions and garlic while drying out the tortillas. Once completed place into the water bowl.
STEP 5
Once everything is done being toasted and has been soaking in the water, we are going to fish out the ingredients with a large slotted spoon, working in small batches, placing them into a food processor/high-speed blender adding in enough water to completely process everything into a paste. The paste should be the consistency of tomato paste. Set paste aside.
STEP 6
In a pot warm up the avocado oil and add in two cups of the prepared mole paste. Cook the paste until it starts to boil, consistently stirring to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Once boiling, add in the pot of cooked ayocotes with its broth, stirring until fully combined and adding in additional water or veggie broth to thin it out if necessary. I like mine on the thinner side.
STEP 7
Cook this mixture for an additional 5 minutes until it is brought back up to a boil, salt to taste. Serve into bowls and top with diced onions, cilantro, tomatoes, and/or fresh serrano or jalapeno peppers.
If you can’t find tequesquite you can just omit it. You can find ayocote beans at Rancho Gordo in different color varieties. Be sure to use Ceylon cinnamon, since it blends easier than other varieties. This recipe makes enough mole paste for about 12 servings. For this recipe, we are only using 2 cups of it. Store the remainder of the mole paste in an air-tight container in the fridge or freeze for future use. Store the final dish in the fridge for up to 1 week. When storing the dish, the ayocotes have a tendency to soak up excess water from the mole sauce. Reheat in a pot adding enough water or veggie broth to thin it back out to its normal consistency.