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Veracruz Salsa Macha the Orizaba Way (Salsa Macha Veracruzana)

Veracruz Salsa Macha

A smoky, nutty, crunchy chile oil from the mountain towns above the Gulf of Mexico. Toasted chiles de árbol and chipotles are steeped in warm oil with peanuts, sesame, and garlic until the whole jar tastes like a warm cazuela at dusk. Drizzle it over eggs, tacos, or grilled meats and it wakes everything up.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 16 Tablespoons
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 145
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup neutral vegetable oil such as sunflower, safflower, or a mild olive oil
  • 1 oz dried chile de árbol about 20 to 25 chiles, stemmed
  • 0.5 oz dried chipotle or morita chiles about 3 to 4 chiles, stemmed
  • 0.5 cup raw peanuts skin-on or blanched, unsalted
  • 6 cloves garlic peeled
  • 3 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp kosher salt to taste
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar optional, for balance

Equipment

  • 1 comal or heavy dry skillet cast iron works well
  • 1 Small saucepan
  • 1 molcajete or blender molcajete for traditional coarse texture
  • 1 glass jar with lid 8 to 12 oz, sterilized

Method
 

  1. Wipe the dried chiles clean with a dry cloth, then pull off the stems. Leave the seeds inside — they carry heat and body.
  2. Heat a dry comal or heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Toast the chiles de árbol and chipotles for 30 to 60 seconds per side, pressing them flat, just until fragrant and slightly puffed. Do not let them scorch or the whole batch turns bitter. Transfer to a plate.
  3. In a small saucepan, warm 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-low heat. Add the peanuts and toast, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes until they turn a shade darker and smell nutty. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  4. Add the garlic cloves to the same oil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until golden at the edges. Remove and set aside with the peanuts.
  5. Add the sesame seeds and toast for about 30 seconds, swirling constantly, until they take on a light gold color. Remove and set aside.
  6. Pour the remaining oil into the saucepan and warm it over low heat until it shimmers but does not smoke, about 250 to 275 F. Slide in the toasted chiles, peanuts, garlic, and sesame seeds. Let everything steep, off the heat, for 5 minutes so the flavors infuse the oil without frying.
  7. Transfer the whole mixture, oil and all, to a molcajete or blender. Add the salt and vinegar if using. Crush by hand for a coarse, rustic texture, or pulse the blender 4 to 6 times in short bursts — you want visible pieces of chile, peanut, and sesame, not a smooth paste.
  8. Taste and adjust the salt. Spoon into a sterilized glass jar, making sure the solids are submerged under a layer of oil. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving so the flavors settle, then refrigerate.

Notes

  • Store in a clean glass jar with the oil covering the solids; refrigerated it keeps 3 to 4 weeks.
  • Toast the chiles just until fragrant — burnt chiles turn the whole batch bitter.
  • Serve as a drizzle over huevos rancheros, tacos, quesadillas, carne asada, grilled fish, pozole, or crusty tortas. It is a condiment, not a dipping salsa.
  • For a Zongolica-style rustic version, crush everything in a molcajete instead of blending and use a higher chile-to-oil ratio.
  • Always spoon with a clean, dry spoon to prevent spoilage.