Rehydrating dried chillies

Why whole dried chillies¶

Whole dried chillies have far more depth than chilli powder: dried fruit, tobacco, cocoa, smoke, depending on the variety. They are the backbone of Mexican sauces such as mole, enchilada sauces and adobos, of many Indian curry pastes, and of harissa. Most need softening before they can be blended.

Choosing and checking¶

Good dried chillies are pliable and leathery, like a raisin, with a glossy skin and a rich smell. Brittle, dusty or pale chillies are old and will taste of little. Store them airtight in a cool, dark place, or in the freezer for long keeping.

Method¶

1. Clean¶

Wipe each chilli with a damp cloth to remove dust. With scissors or your fingers, snip off the stem, slit the chilli open lengthways and shake or scrape out the seeds and pale veins. The seeds are bitter-tasting in sauces and add little; the veins hold much of the heat, so remove them for a milder result. Wear gloves for hot varieties (see handling-chillies-safely).

2. Toast (optional but recommended)¶

1. Heat a dry frying pan or comal over medium heat.
2. Press each opened chilli flat against the pan with a spatula for 5–15 seconds per side.
3. It is ready when it becomes fragrant, softens, blisters slightly and changes colour a shade. It should not smoke heavily or turn black.

Thin-skinned chillies such as guajillo and árbol toast fastest; thicker ones such as ancho and pasilla take a little longer. Smoked chillies such as chipotle need little or no toasting.

3. Soak¶

1. Put the toasted chillies in a heatproof bowl and cover with just-boiled water.
2. Weigh them down with a small plate so they stay submerged.
3. Soak for 15–30 minutes, until completely soft and the flesh tears easily. Thick chillies may need longer; very old ones may never soften fully.

Some cooks simmer the chillies in water for 5–10 minutes instead, which is faster and good for tough chillies, but longer simmering can draw out bitterness.

4. The soaking liquid¶

Taste it. Often it is pleasant and can be used to loosen the purée. With some chillies, especially if they were toasted dark or soaked for a long time, it tastes bitter; use fresh water or stock instead. Many Mexican cooks discard it as a matter of course.

5. Blend and strain¶

1. Drain the chillies and blend with a little liquid (soaking water, stock, or tomatoes), plus aromatics such as garlic, onion, cumin or oregano, until very smooth. A high-speed blender does this best.
2. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing with a spoon. This removes the tough skins and gives the silky texture of a good sauce.
3. Fry the purée. In Mexican cooking the strained sauce is often fried in a little hot lard or oil for several minutes, stirring, until it darkens and thickens. This cooks off rawness and concentrates the flavour, much like blooming spices.

Quantities¶

As a rough guide, 3–4 large dried chillies (ancho, guajillo, pasilla) make enough sauce for a dish serving four. Weight is more reliable: about 30–50 g of dried chillies for 500 ml of sauce, depending on how intense you want it.

Chillies you do not need to soak¶

• Small, hot chillies such as árbol and bird's eye are often simply toasted and ground, or fried whole.
• Kashmiri chillies for Indian pastes are usually soaked in hot water for 20–30 minutes, then ground with the other ingredients.
• Chipotles en adobo (tinned) are already soft and ready to use.

Common mistakes¶

• Burning the chillies during toasting.
• Skipping the sieve, which leaves a sauce with gritty skins.
• Using brittle, stale chillies, which give a thin, dusty flavour.
• Ignoring bitterness. Taste the soaking water before you use it.

See also¶

• mole
• mexican-cuisine
• toasting-spices
• chipotle