"This recipe features a tasty simplified mole sauce with only 17 ingredients (I say ‘only’ because traditionally there’s over 22 ingredients!). Mole is a savoury South American chocolate sauce. I love this on tacos served with grilled chicken, avocado, queso fresco, cilantro and pickled red onions (my recipe for pickled onions is also included!)" - Rachel McKinley, chocolatier at Purdys
For Mole Sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp coriander
- 2 medium white onions
- 1 jalapeno
- 2 red chilis
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 banana
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 can (796ml) of diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
- 1/2 cup peanuts
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1 cup Classic Dark Chocolate, chopped
For Pickled Onions:
- 1 red onion
- 2 cups apple cider
- 4 tbsp sugar
For Mole Sauce:
- Roughly chop onions, garlic, banana, jalapeno and chilis.
- Heat olive oil in a pan on high. When oil is hot, toast the coriander in the oil for 30 seconds then add onions, garlic, banana, jalapeno, chilis and brown sugar.
- Lower the heat to medium low and cook until everything starts to caramelize—it’ll start to stick to the bottom of the pan but that’s okay!
- Add can of diced tomatoes and scrape off everything from the bottom of the pan to mix together.
- Add remaining spices, nuts, and seeds.
- Mix well and add chocolate, stirring until melted.
- Let simmer on low for 30 minutes until everything has softened. Pro tip: For more intense flavours, simmer on low for up to 90 minutes, adding a bit of water if mixture starts to dry out.
- Once simmering is done, pour sauce into blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour mole sauce over grilled chicken and mix well.
- Serve on tortilla with avocado, queso fresco or feta, cilantro, pickled red onions and a squeeze of lime juice.
For Pickled Onions:
- Thinly slice red onions.
- Pour apple cider vinegar overtop until onion slices are completely covered.
- Add sugar and stir.
- Let sit for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Pickled onions will keep in your fridge for up to 3 weeks.