Do not be tempted to halve this recipe. Trust me on this. This red chili sauce from the tastesbetterfromscratch.com site is better than anything you can get in a Mexican restaurant. And it’s easy to prepare. I’m serious! Between this sauce and my red sauce for cheese enchiladas (find the recipe under Cheese Enchiladas with Red Chili Sauce) you are in for two very easy ways to prepare gourmet Mexican food at home. But do not be deceived. Wonderful Mexican food takes time to prepare.
It’s not like flinging a beautifully marbled steak on your grill. (No offence to beautifully marbled steaks everywhere.) Because there is serious time involved in getting a restaurant quality Mexican meal on the table. Is it worth the effort? You bet your sweet bippy! Anytime you make any kind of dish from scratch using mostly fresh or what I call “scratch cooking staples” like flour, you are eliminating a great many chemicals used in keeping prepackaged, processed foods fresh. Now, to be clear, I am not advocating that you begin making your own Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, or the like. I’m just saying that the more you eliminate processed foods from your diet, the better-off you are nutritionally.
And of course, I’m not telling you I make everything from scratch. I use meat and veggie bases (like Better Than Bouillon) regularly. And big surprise! I don’t make homemade mayonnaise or ketchup. And there is always a can of cream of mushroom soup and a box of “Jiffy” corn muffin mix in my pantry for those times when even making a simple sauce or building cornbread from scratch requires more strength than I have at the time. We all have those moments. We are after all – human.
But I will always push for as many ways to stay away from packaged or processed foods as possible. And this recipe for red chili sauce is a perfect example.
Well, that’s it for now. But before I leave you to run for your kitchen to make this sauce, I need to tell you about the book I just finished. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese. Wow! As I stated in one of my previous posts, Verghese had me after only 4 pages. But I was unprepared for this story of love, death, leprosy, and the historic reality that took place over three-quarters of a century (1900 to 1977) on India’s Malabar Coast. Because I absolutely fell in love with some of the characters, and was therefore devastated by how hard their lives were. And when each of these beloved characters died, it felt like I had lost a dear friend. That, my friends, is what happens when a book is written by a truly great author. And to my mind, Verghese fits that category perfectly.
And even if parts of this book were very hard for me to read, I recommend you read it. I learned more about India and how true compassion can manifest itself from this book, than any other book I have ever read. And don’t we all need a lesson on compassion as we read about what is currently happening to our country.
If what I read and learn daily about how our democracy is being deliberately destroyed was simply a work of fiction, I would think this could never happen. But it is happening. All I can hope and pray, is that regardless of political preference, our elected representatives in congress get their collective act together to save our country from just a few rich men who want democracy destroyed. Think I’m exaggerating, do your homework. And I don’t mean simply listening to Fox News!
I mean reading what experts are predicting. Scientists, doctors, experienced politicians, historians, etc. Our constitution is under attack. And if you think it won’t affect you personally, you are sorely mistaken. For example: Your foreign built clothes washer dies. It requires a new part. Good luck. The United States is not importing from this country any longer or if they are still supplying parts, there is a huge tariff associated with the part you need. Who do you think will be charged with the difference? That $100 part that is needed to make your washer work again is now in the $750 range. You want a new Subaru this summer? Would you like to make a bet that you will be able to drive that car off the lot for about the same price as last summer? Think again.
So, what can we all do? We can write, text, email, etc. our elected officials demanding that first and foremost they protect and preserve democracy. They all, republican or democrat took the same oath of office. And in case you don’t remember what they swore to uphold, let me refresh your memory.
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”
This means, not just some of the time or when it might not serve them well personally. It means EVERY DECISION THEY MAKE SHOULD HAVE THE BEST INTERESTES OF OUR NATION AND THEIR CONSTIUENTS IN MIND BEFORE ANYTHING OR ANYONE ELSE! They are not allowed to just turn their heads and ignore what is happening to our country. We as citizens have every right to demand that our elected officials do the job they were hired to do. And respect the oath they made freely before taking or continuing the office for which they were elected. And that they work for the good of all citizens, regardless of color, religious preference, etc. and definitely NOT FOR SOME DESPOT WANT-A-BE OR HIS RICH BUDDIES!
Peace and love to all.
8 dried California chili pods (you can find them in any grocery store)
4 c. pork, beef, or chicken stock
2 T. veggie oil
2 T. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. granulated onion
½ tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
Using disposable gloves, remove the stem and seeds from the dried chiles while rinsing them under cold water.
Place chiles in a saucepan with broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
Drain the broth into a container. Discard the chili skins.
In the same saucepan you used to cook the chiles, heat the veggie oil. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Then whisk in the oregano, cumin, chili powder, granulated onion, salt, black pepper, and garlic. Gradually whisk in the chili liquid.
Cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce is slightly thickened.
Use for tamales, enchiladas, burritos, or any Mexican dish that would profit from a bit of red sauce.
Please note: Even if this sauce is made with chilies, it is not spicy hot. It offers mild to medium heat. And the flavor is marvelous!