Food - Drink
You're Missing Out If You're Not Ordering Mexican Food With Mole
By CLARICE KNELLY
Chips and salsa, tacos, and burritos may be uber-popular in the USA and other countries, but some amazing Mexican dishes have not seen as much widespread popularity, and that includes the country's unofficial national dish, mole. Mole is a richly-flavored, labor-intensive sauce that is an icon in the states of Oaxaca and Puebla.
Any given recipe for mole can require several hours to several days of preparation, and many recipes call for as many as 30 ingredients that all have to be prepared in their own individual ways. Generally, moles contain nuts, fruits, and chilis, but seeds, onions, garlic, and most famously, chocolate are also common additions.
The taste of mole is usually spicy, nutty, and earthy, and while some say that mole is an acquired taste, there's a style out there to suit every palate. Mole poblano, AKA red mole, is a sweet and spicy sauce that is particularly popular, and its distinct flavor is created using lots of chilies, dried fruit, nuts, and not too much chocolate.
Mole can add a fantastic richness and complexity to dishes including meats like chicken and beef, as well as Mexican classics like enchiladas, though it's also delicious enough to serve with plain starches. Whether you enjoy it on a bed of rice or pile it on an already-overloaded tortilla, your new-found obsession with mole is likely here to stay.
