Pronounced mo-lay, these complex multi-ingredient salsas with a chilli base are iconic to Mexican cooking and play a role in the folklore, fiestas and family life of the country. The word mole is believed to come from the word mulli in Nahautl, the language spoken by the Aztecs. Although the base of mole has indigenous heritage, chillies, chocolate and the turkey it would have been eaten with, many of the spices come from the “Old World” and arrived after the conquest of Mexico by the Spanish. Mole sauces are therefore seen to be a true mingling of Mesoamerican and colonial Mexico.
Legend has it that modern day mole was first created in the Convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla by nuns who had nothing to serve a visiting archbishop. They prayed for an answer and brought together all the ingredients they had to create a complex sauce served with turkey. The archbishop was said to love the dish and contemporary mole was born.
Much like Indian curry, there are many different types of mole that range in colour, depth, spice, sweetness and flavour. All moles generally have two or three types of chilli as well as a variety of other ingredients sometimes including nuts, seeds, bananas and even chocolate. The ingredients are roasted and ground in a laborious process that can take days. Traditionally women would work together to make mole and the family recipe would be passed down through the generations from dinner table to dinner table.
Fun facts
Legend has it that if you eat mole late at night your dreams will be a mysterious and complex as the sauce.
In the southern state of Oaxaca when someone asks a couple “When are we going to eat mole?” they are really asking, “when is the wedding?” because mole is traditionally always eaten at Oaxacan weddings.
Learn about our KANKUN MOLES.
