In Oaxaca, chili peppers are much more than just a cooking ingredient; they are the soul of several dishes that are pillars of the state’s and the country’s gastronomy. This January 16th, the world celebrates International Hot and Spicy Food Day, and Oaxaca stands out as one of the top places where the food is spicy, but “deliciously spicy.”
Oaxaca boasts an enormous diversity of food, but also of chili peppers that are used everywhere, from traditional markets to the most sought-after restaurants. Moreover, not all chili peppers taste the same; some have smoky, sweet, or citrus notes. These are the dishes that will test any visitor’s tolerance for spice.
This is one of the seven legendary moles of Oaxaca, and its spicy flavor comes from the chilhuacle negro and pasilla chili peppers, which are roasted until they are almost ash-colored, giving it a deep and fiery flavor.
Considered a delicacy, eaten at weddings and celebrations, it’s made with guajillo and costeño chiles, which are blended together to coat pork or beef. It’s a delicious dish from that region.
The star here is the dried chile, used in an ancestral preparation from the Papaloapan Basin, guaranteeing an explosion of flavor in every bite.
It’s typical of Oaxaca, and its main ingredient is the piquín or wild chile, guaranteeing an intense and fleeting flavor that awakens all the senses.
The king of spiciness in Mexico is the chilhuacle chile, native to the Cañada de Cuicatlán, and it’s also the heart of mole negro.
It’s very expensive because it’s endangered, so very few producers cultivate it. In Oaxaca markets, you’ll find it for between 600 and 1,200 pesos per kilo, but outside the state, it can exceed 2,000 pesos.
Source: oaxaca.eluniversal
