The culture of a nation is shaped by how individuals interact with the different elements of their environment. Food is one of the few elements that all people share, which is why traditional dishes play such a central role in a country’s cultural identity.
In Mexico, chiles are without a doubt the most characteristic element of the culture, and adobos are a very popular way of preparing chiles before cooking with them. If you like spicy food, adobos are a simple way to add heat to your meals and make them more flavorful.
Dried and fresh Chiles in the Kitchen
People who are not used to cooking with dried chiles often hardly recognize them when they see them. Because chiles have a reputation for being fire for the mouth (the stomach and beyond), many cooks are hesitant to buy them – especially dried ones. Besides the fear of heat, it is understandable that some people simply cannot imagine what to do with them.
Fresh chiles are ready to eat right away. Even though they are cooked in many stews, we usually eat them fresh: just chopped, pickled in vinegar, or in salsas. Dried chiles, on the other hand, have to be prepared before you can cook with them, and adobo is a very popular technique in Mexico to do just that.
Adobo in Mexican Food Culture
Adobo is essentially a mixture of dried chiles, vegetables, and spices that you can use in many ways. An adobo can be used to cook stews, prepare sauces, or marinate meat and fish, and it can also serve as the base for other foods such as soups and sauces. Thanks to the great variety of ingredients available in Mexico, adobo recipes are endless, but the basic idea stays the same:
1. Dried chiles. One of the chiles most commonly used in adobos is guajillo. Because of its mild heat and the reddish color it gives dishes, it appears in many adobos, for example for chipotle in adobo. There are also many recipes that use other dried chiles such as ancho, árbol, or morita, and some even add fresh chiles to the mix.
2. Garlic and onion. Usually white onion; these vegetables are loyal companions in Mexican cooking.
3. Spices and herbs
Clove, allspice, cumin, and bay leaves are often used, but this varies from region to region and depends a lot on the creativity of the cook.
4. Cooking Technique
Some recipes toast the chiles, others fry them, but in any case they are ground with water or broth plus a bit of vinegar and of course salt.
5. Grinding or Blending
Traditionally, a molcajete – a type of stone mortar – is used to grind. This helps all the ingredients blend perfectly. Nowadays there are mills that produce their own products and also grind chiles that customers bring in. They work with large quantities and turn everything into a moist, firm paste. For adobos, however, you can easily do this at home, since they usually have relatively few ingredients. Moles, on the other hand, require a mill, and just like adobos they are traditionally made in a molcajete – but more on that in the next blog post.
You often see recipes whose names indicate that the adobo is meant for a specific meat, like “beef adobo” or “pork adobo”. This usually just means that the meat was cooked in an adobo (remember that in Mexico, adobo is a chile-based marinade or sauce). Other recipes mention explicitly to marinate the meat, although the cooking techniques can vary. In any case, you first prepare this paste-like mixture, which you can then use to cook meat and vegetables, or simply add a spicy touch to your soups, sauces, and really almost any dish.
The preparation method affects the texture: with a traditional molcajete you grind instead of blend, which requires very little water but is more time-consuming. A blender, on the other hand, needs more liquid to work properly. It is always easier to make a bigger batch, so it is a good idea to fill at least half of your blender at home.
If you have dried chiles at home and have no idea what to do with them, making an adobo is a great option to bring flavor and heat to your dishes.
Here is a recipe for a simple adobo. Remember that cooking does not require hyper-precise measurements – you can always adjust quantities to your own taste.
Use your chipotle in adobo to make chipotle mayo, add straight to your sandwiches and quesadillas and pretty much in all your food. Enjoy your adobo!
