- 3-4 Tablespoons of oil
- 2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds
- 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 Ancho Chiles (whole, dried)
- 4 Guajillo Chiles (whole, dried)
- 2 Chipotle Chiles (canned in adobo sauce)
- 4 Cloves of garlic (whole)
- 1/4 Cup of rasins
- 1.5 Tablespoons whole cumin
- 1 Tablespoon whole coriander
- 1 Stick of Mexican/Ceylon cinnamon (the soft kind that you can break with your hands)
- 1 Teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 Tablespoon oregano
- 2 Tablespoons of oil
- 2 Small onions (diced)
- 1 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes
- 4 Cans of beans or hominy (I used 2 cans of black beans, 1 can of chickpeas, and 1 can of hominy, which is like dried and cooked corn kernels)
- 1 Tablespoon of "Better than Bouillon" (the organic vegetable one)
- 1 Ounce of unsweetened chocolate
- First, remove the stems and seeds from the dried chiles (I also rinse the outside of them). Tear them into pieces.
- Heat up the oil. Then add the pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds and cook until they just begin to change color and smell fragrant. Add the dried chilis and garlic, and cook until the oil turns red and you can smell the chiles. Then add the raisin and cook briefly, making sure not to burn them. Quickly add a bit of water before the raisins burn, just enough to submerge the ingredients.
- Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat and let everything sit, with the lid on, for 15-20 minutes to hydrate the chiles and rasins.
- Add the chipotle chiles and blend or grind everything into a paste. You may need to add more water. Salt to taste.
- To make the spice blend, toast everything but the oregano, then add the oregano and grind.
- For the chili, heat the oil in a pot, then add the onions and cook until they are softened. They can be slightly browned.
- Add the spice blend, stir, and cook briefly, maybe 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the chile paste. Stir and cook until bubbling.
- Add the tomatoes with their liquid. Break them up a bit with the spoon. I leave them slightly chunky. Then add the beans and/or hominy. I drain the hominy but I use the bean liquid. Add the Better than Bouillon (or whatever else) as well.
- Salt to taste, and cook until it is thick enough for you, maybe 15 to 20 minutes. You might have to add water. Make sure to stir so the bottom doesn't scorch. Then add the chocolate. It will melt and you can stir it in.
- Done!
This is just a guideline. I've made this same basic recipe in lots of different ways. There are lots of ingredients that you can substitute or skip and they still taste good.
- I've used all different types of beans, dried or canned. I think they all work well as long as they are whole beans and not split.
- I've used lots of different things in the spice blend as well. Sometimes I add 2 cloves and a tiny bit of star anise.
- I've used all different kinds of dried chiles and in different ratios. Anchos and guajillos are the easiest to find, but I've used pasillas, New Mexicos, and others as well. Keep in mind that most of them are quite big and not too spicy, so they add a lot of chile flavor relative to the spice level. I've also omitted the chipotles and used more dried chiles instead. The chipotles give it a bit of a smokey flavor (they are smoked). Different varieties have different tastes so it is fun to experiment.
- The pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds can also be substituted for other nuts or seeds or the ratio can be changed. I think almonds (maybe 1/4 cup?) would work well. They can also be omitted entirely.
- The "Better than Bouillon" is there to add a savory, umami flavor. It's sort of like a combination of soy sauce and Marmite. You can substitute soy sauce, Marmite, miso paste, or something similar. I've used most of them and they all taste good.
- Sometimes I add a poblano pepper or some green bell pepper with the onions. I'm sure sweet potatoes would be good too!
- One nice topping is pickled onions. Just thinly slice a red onion, cover it with vinegar, season it with salt, and let it sit in the fridge overnight.