Mole sauces come in numerous different varieties and flavors.
Mole is considered the national dish of Mexico. Rick Bayless, chef and expert on Mexican food, compares it to Thanksgiving turkey "just served more frequently." With the endless varieties of mole sauces available, their popularity has grown worldwide. Most regions in Mexico have their own custom mole sauces, but a few stand apart from the rest and are favorites.
Mole Poblano
The most popular of mole sauces used today is mole poblano. It is what is considered the "national dish" of Mexico throughout the world. mole poblano originated in the state of Puebla and is made up of more than 20 different ingredients. The main ingredients are chili peppers and chocolate (which gives mole poblano its distinctive flavor and dark color).
Mole Negro
While the region of Oaxaca is considered "the land of the seven moles," its main mole is mole negro. This version of mole sauce is darker than the traditional mole poblano, but has the same rich flavor. Mole negro is known for being the most difficult mole sauces to make, due to its large ingredient list that contains chili peppers, chocolate, onions, garlic, seeds, spices, nuts and hoja santa. Hoja santa is a plant that gives mole negro is distinctive flavor and color.
Mole Verde
Mole verde originated in the region of Oaxaca and gets its name from its green color. This color is achieved by using toasted pumpkin seeds, romaine lettuce, cilantro and tomatillos. Mole verde is has a milder flavor than most of the other mole sauces, and is popular in dishes that contain chicken.
Less Common Mole Varieties
Mole Amarillo is made from ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, tomatillos, spices, cilantro, and the aromatic herb hoja santa.
Mole de cacahuate is made from peanuts and chiles.
Mole chichilo is made from pasilla chiles, tomatoes, tomatillos, spices and masa harina.
Mole coloradito is made from ancho chiles, almonds, tomatoes, seeds, bananas and spices.
Mole rojo is made from guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, pecans, tomatoes, peanuts, chocolate, garlic, onions and spices.
Tags: made from, mole sauces, mole poblano, ancho chiles, chili peppers, chili peppers chocolate
