What is Mole, from Mexico? Chocolate, Spice and More

Mole basically means a combination of ingredients mixed together.  It is pronounced "moh lay". I had on idea how many different varieties there were, from different regions, and even how many different colors. Its a wonderful part of Mexican cuisine, and is part of what makes that cuisine so rich. Chocolate dates way back in recipes like stews and salsas in Mexico, even if not in the sense we know chocolate today.

I have a dear friend, who was born in Mexico City and whose parents lived for a wile in Oaxaca Mexico. After they came back to the states, I was privileged enough to taste many authentic Mexican dishes. Having lived in Southern California for all my life up to that time, I thought I knew what good Mexican food was. Turns out I had barely begun to learn about the diversity of Mexican Cuisine. Its a wonderful and amazing cuisine, and mole was something new and wonderful to try. I recall first being offered some authentic mole sauce, and I looked at my friend a little curious, and she said, "there is even chocolate in it! Try it, you will love it." So I did, and was amazed at the layers of flavors and level of richness. It lends incredible flavor to anything it is used with.

For many people, the word mole causes them to think of a dark type of chocolate sauce, even though sometimes moles have no chocolate in them. For example, in certain parts of Mexico, like Oaxaca and Puebla, the percentage of chocolate in the mole sauces is really very minimal. They do use a lot of chocolate colored dried chiles however, which imparts that dark chocolatey color. No celebration would be complete without mole, and its a very complicated sauce in regards to ingredients, etc.

Then there are every day regional moles, often called molitos which are much simpler sauces. There is a place in Mexico, called Michoacan, where people wouldn't hear of putting anything sweet like chocolate or sugar into mole sauces. So it really depends on the region and people, and particular times of the year, which mole sauce you will find. This makes this particular dish all the more interesting.

You will find moles that have different colors altogether, as well. There is verde, or green mole, and amarillo or yellow moles. There are colored moles, called colorado, and black mole called chichilo mole. These last few can also be found in Oaxaca.

In the provinces, where the mole sauces are more simple, the word mole can simply mean one or two types of dried chiles, and a little bit of some different spices. The spices generally used are peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves all blended with some garlic and onion. That sounds good to me!

Moles are cooked sauces, all except for guacamole.  Many of us are much more familiar with that than the darker mole sauces.  To me, they are very different, but equally good and so tasty when done well.  The word mole, may have come from the Nahuatl molli.  Molli, meaning a combination of ingredients ground together. 

There are mole de olla which are most often from Central Mexico.  These are more of a soup or stew seasoned with dried chiles.  On a little side note here, I think its great that people over time, have chosen to not only use chiles fresh from the garden, but also to dry them and continue to use them to such a degree as we see in many cultures and cuisines around the world.  I love to grow my own chiles now, and if I didn't know better, would have thought that if I didn't use them, then they would just go bad. Granted, there is a process for drying, but with a big harvest, you could plan ahead and just dry them yourself to use later in unique recipes such as this one, the mole de olla. 

Another mole, is the guaxmole, which is from Puebla.  It is more of a tomato chile sauce with stronger flavored guajes.  Then there is tesmole from the southeast part of Puebla made with picante little chiltepec. 

There are some moles made with pumpkin, believe it or not!  Some of these are clemole, also from Puebla, and then ayamole which is from Guerrero.  These are more from the central and southern Mexico regions, but there are many many more.  

I hope to try many more enticing recipes, or even go to Mexico again sometime to have some authentic Mole, which is such a rich part of Mexican cuisine.  If you get the chance, definitely try it, as there is a good chance you will have had nothing like it to compare too.