Mole coloradito – Oaxacan red mole with chicken

Ingredients for 4 portions

• 1 kgChicken legs
• ≈ 2 lWater
• ½Yellow onion, for the broth
• 2 clovesGarlic, for the broth
• to tasteSalt
• 5Ancho chiles
• 5Guajillo chiles
• 2Tomatoes
• ½Yellow onion, for the sauce
• 4 clovesGarlic, for the sauce
• 3 tbspSesame seeds
• 30 gAlmonds
• 3 tbspLard
• ½Plantain, ripe, sliced
• ½Crusty white roll, sliced
• 30 gRaisins
• 3 mlCinnamon
• 3Cloves
• 1 mlBlack pepper
• 1 tspMexican oregano
• 3 mlThyme
• 50 gMexican chocolate (table chocolate)

On the side

• 12Corn tortillas

Method

1. Put the chicken in a large pot with the water, onion, garlic and some salt and bring to the boil. Skim off the foam.
2. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, remove the stalks and seeds from the chillies. Toast them for a few seconds per side in a hot, dry frying pan, then soak them in hot water.
4. Roast the tomatoes, onion and garlic in the same pan until blackened in spots and soft.
5. Toast the sesame seeds and almonds in a dry frying pan until golden.
6. Heat a third of the lard in the frying pan and fry the plantain until golden. Then fry the bread until golden and the raisins until they puff up.
7. Blend the drained chillies with the tomatoes, onion, garlic, sesame, almonds, plantain, bread, raisins, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, oregano and thyme and about 500 ml of the broth until completely smooth. Blend in batches if needed.
8. Heat the rest of the lard in a large casserole and fry the paste over a medium heat, stirring constantly, for 15 minutes, until thick and darker.
9. Add the chocolate and about 1 litre of broth and stir until the chocolate has melted.
10. Simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the mole coats the back of a spoon. Add the chicken for the last 5 minutes and season with salt.
11. Serve the chicken covered in mole, with warm tortillas.

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