Salsa
Guajillo salsa roja
Guajillo is the dried form of the mirasol chilli and one of the backbones of Mexican cooking. It has a bright, fruity flavour with gentle heat, and makes a silky red salsa for tacos, eggs and grilled meat.
Mirasol pods ripen red on the plant and dry well. Hang them somewhere warm and airy and you'll have guajillos through winter.
- Prep 10 min
- Cook 15 min
- Total 25 min
- Makes about 400 ml
Ingredients
- 6 dried guajillo (mirasol) chillies, stems and seeds removed
- 3 ripe tomatoes
- ½ onion, cut into wedges
- 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 125 ml hot water
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- Salt, to taste
Method
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Step 1
Toast the chillies
Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat and toast the guajillos for 20 to 30 seconds a side, until fragrant and slightly puffed. Don't let them burn or they turn bitter.
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Step 2
Soak
Put the chillies in a bowl, cover with just-boiled water and soak for 15 minutes, until soft.
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Step 3
Char the vegetables
Meanwhile, cook the tomatoes, onion and garlic in the same dry pan, turning, until blackened in spots. Peel the garlic.
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Step 4
Blend
Drain the chillies and blend with the tomatoes, onion, garlic, 125 ml fresh hot water, the lime juice and cumin until smooth.
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Step 5
Season
Add salt to taste and a splash more water if it's too thick. Serve warm or at room temperature. It keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Grow your own
The chillies in this recipe are easy to grow from seed in New Zealand.
