Mexican Sauce With Peanuts

[Walda Caesar]

Peanutsare used in all kinds of sauces in Mexico the most popular being many variations of mole sauce and more recently salsa macha has had its beauty finally recognized. But peanut salsa is something all together different and extraordinary. It is a spicy salsa but the peanuts tone down the sharpness.

Peanuts are a popular ingredient in Mexican cuisine and have been enjoyed there since pre-colonial times. It was the Spanish who brought peanuts to Africa from Southern Mexico and South America but according to the LA Times, it was African slaves who brought them to Veracruz where they added them to stews and made peanut sauces.

There are versions of this salsa all over Mexico. In Colima the sauce is made of simply toasted arbol chilies, garlic, and onions. My version (with the addition of charred tomatoes) is inspired by salsa de cacahuate y chile de rbol you will find in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero.

Char the chiles. Place a comal or large skillet over medium heat. Place chiles in the pan and toast until darkened and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Turn your vent hood on to prevent from choking on the spicy aroma. Remove to a bowl.

On a recent trip to Oaxaca, I found the salsa macha craze in full bloom, except that restaurants generally substitute fiery hot smoked pasilla chiles for the plain dried varieties preferred in Veracruz. Some chefs simply crush a few peanuts together with the chiles and add the combination to any table salsa.

With the motor running, start adding the oil in a thin stream. It should be not quite completely absorbed, with just a light film on the surface; the exact amount will vary with the starchiness of the peanuts.

7. With the motor running, start adding the oil in a thin stream. It should be not quite completely absorbed, with just a light film on the surface; the exact amount will vary with the starchiness of the peanuts.

Transfer peanuts and chiles to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, stream in oil and pure until peanuts and chiles are finely chopped, about 1 minute. Season salsa with salt and let cool.

Salsa de Cacahuate is a favorite oil based peanut and chili sauce. I make it most often in the summer and winter months because its peanut flavor goes great on foods. Top it on fresh spring + summer salads, ceviches, and comfort foods. I also love it for flavoring homemade popcorn.

Storage: Keeping your peanut salsa in a jar is the easiest and space saving option. This recipe does not need to be refrigerated but does require air tight lid and a new spoon with each use. No double dipping prevents cross contamination!

Pro Tip: As the ingredients in the salsa begin to settle a layer of oil will appear at the top. This is normal. Simply stir or shake if salsa has been sitting for more than 2-3 days.

It's true, you probably never reach for peanuts when you're settling in to make a homemade batch of salsa. But there's a good chance this Peanut Chile Salsa will have you thinking twice about that the next time you're swinging open the pantry door.

There's a rich, concentrated version of this salsa that you'll sometimes see referred to as either Salsa Macha or Chili Pesto. As an example, here's a traditional Salsa Macha recipe from Rick Bayless. Note the high oil amount, lack of onion, and lack of water. This will result in a concentrated, "few drops at a time" sauce.

By reducing the oil amount and adding some onion (and water), you'll get an expansive, diluted version that still retains the classic peanut-chile flavor profile. That's a technical way of saying that you can eat way more of it because it's not as oily.

The other good news is that the actual chile combo doesn't matter too much. You can get creative with the chiles so feel free to start with what you've got. We're using Guajillo Chiles and Chiles de Arbol.

Don't forget that the smaller the chile, the hotter it gets; this makes for an efficient way to give your salsa some heat. That's why you'll frequently see Chiles de Arbol, Moritas, and Chiles Pequin used in salsas like this.

Unroasted, unsalted peanuts would probably be the ideal starting point, but don't be too picky about that the first time you make this salsa. I've used the roasted, salted version plenty of times and still get a good result.

It's worth adding an unconventional salsa like this to your repertoire, so please give this Peanut Chile Salsa a try. It also comes with the added benefit of creating vibrant new brain synapses; now when you see peanuts you'll think...

Hi Barb! Hmmmm I have bad news on that one....it's really hard to put it in reverse once there's too much heat for your palate. You can add more peanuts and onion to dilute the heat, but I feel like even that is risky and it's just easier to start over. One other tip to keep in mind is that you can add the heat incrementally if you want, i.e. just add a couple of the Arbol chiles at the beginning, blend, and taste from there, adding more Arbols until it tastes right to you. Cheers.

I just wanted to thank you for putting up REAL Mexican recipes. I used to travel on business to San Luis Potosi City and Agua Caliente and have never ate better food anywhere in the world (yes I even found good food on the outskirts of Cancun on vacation! ) and I met some of the nicest, most humble people that I have ever met in all my travels. I remember all of it fondly but sadly I will never be able to go back because of all the drug problems that seems to have taken over much of Mexico and It's such a shame and tragedy especially for the working class that never had anything to do with it.

Hi! I am writing from Europe, and here (in Italy, although I am currently writing from Belgium) peanuts are typically sold salted. Are salted or unsalted peanuts needed for this recipe? Thanks in advance!

Hi Francesca! I've used both and each will give you a good result, but unsalted makes it easier to control the salt level. If using salted just hold back on adding additional salt until you give it a taste. Cheers.

Just tried this recipe but did not have the same chilies.

I used 2 x Ancho and 10 x Kashmiri.

Think I should have used less Kashmiri as the salsa came out red and is very hot. It does taste good though and will

be having it with Lamb pittas tonight.

I can not wait to try it with the chilies you used Patrick.

Cheers from the UK.

So, I'm thinking Asian/Mexican Fusion here, Peanut Sauce or Sesame Seed Noodle dish with maybe some

shrimp or pork or chicken thrown in for those that aren't vegetarian or vegan? I have not tried your sauce yet but it

sounds wonderful to me. I will admit that I'd probably use dried versions California or Hatch or Poblano

chilies instead of the hot ones! My days of eating the really hot stuff are pretty much over! Thanks for sharing this

recipe with us!

Just made this. Unbelievable how easy it is. I have Chile de Arbol enteros and wisely used 3 of them. It's tempting to use a spoon instead of a chip. This would be great for fish or a burger spread. This is soooo tasty.

I have not made this yet. I give it a 5 anyway for being easy and practical. Can I skip the sesame seeds? They can be expensive. I'm not so sure about using 10 Chile de Arbol because the ones I have are Chile de Arbol entero and those are quite nuclear. Maybe only 3 of those?

This creamy Salsa de Cacahuates (Peanut Salsa) is a traditional Mexican salsa very popular in the southern states of Mexico. With only 4 ingredients, it comes together in less than 10 minutes!

The first time I tasted Salsa De Cacahuate it was at a Mexican restaurant in Phoenix. A little hole in the wall ran by wonderful Mexican people. They had a station where you could serve your favorite salsas. This one was one of them and the other this Jicama Salsa.

For a milder sauce use from 10 to 12 chiles de arbol and add 1 guajillo chile to enhance the flavor and for texture. Or as mentioned earlier, you can also substitute some of the chile de arbol with japanese chiles. They are much milder.

Who is up for salsa macha? I am! If you are a salsa lover, this salsa macha recipe is everything you need for flavorful snacking or drizzling onto just about anything.

I know all of you spicy food lovers out there are going to fall in love with this salsa. While it doesn't offer much heat, it makes up for it with a delicious savoriness that will add some zip and zing to all sorts of meals. You can, of course, up the heat factor to your own desire.

Salsa Macha is salsa from Veracruz, Mexico, made with a variety of dried peppers, nuts and oil. It's slightly spicy, nutty salsa, with a touch of tanginess, used more as a topping for dishes like quesadillas or tacos rather than a traditional salsa served with tortilla chips.

I recently made a chili crisp recipe with more traditional Asian ingredients, and salsa is macha is actually quite similar in appearance and preparation, though with quite a different flavor. Both are outstanding.

Remove the stems and seeds from the anchos, guajillos and chiles de arbol. Chop or cut them into very small pieces, about 1/4 inch or smaller. Set them aside for now. See the recipe notes section for other peppers you can use.

Next, add the peanuts, garlic, sesame seeds and oil in a medium pot or large saucepan. Heat the pot to medium-high heat and cook for 5 minutes, or cook until the garlic starts to to crisp up and the seeds turn golden brown.

Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor and pulse several times until the salsa is nicely combined. Don't over-process the salsa macha, as you want to have nice crispy bits, not a puree.

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