The Story Behind Mole: Mexico's Most Complex Sauce

The most representative dish of Mexican cuisine

If you had to choose one single dish to represent the complexity of Mexican cuisine, it would be mole. This sauce, which can contain over 30 ingredients and require days of preparation, is the ultimate expression of Mexican culinary mestizaje. And no, it's not simply "chocolate and chilli sauce".

Legendary origins

The most popular legend says mole poblano was created in the 17th century at the Santa Rosa convent in Puebla. The word "mole" comes from Nahuatl "molli" meaning "sauce" or "mixture". The Aztecs already prepared complex sauces of chillies, tomatoes, seeds and spices long before the Spanish arrived.

The seven moles of Oaxaca

• Mole Negro: The most complex, with chilhuacle negro chillies, chocolate, plantain
• Mole Rojo: With ancho and guajillo chillies, tomato and spices
• Mole Coloradito: Milder and sweeter, with chocolate
• Mole Amarillo: With yellow chilcostle chilli and hoja santa
• Mole Verde: With fresh herbs, pumpkin seeds and green chilli
• Chichilo: Dark and smoky, with toasted avocado stone
• Manchamanteles: "Tablecloth stainer" - sweet-sour with fruits

Can you make mole in the UK?

You can use mole paste (Dona Maria, available at Mexican shops online, £3-5) as a base, or make a simplified version with dried chillies available in the UK (ancho, guajillo, chipotle), dark chocolate 70%, peanut butter, almonds, raisins, cinnamon and cumin. It won't be an Oaxacan mole, but it'll be genuinely delicious.

In Mexico, mole is prepared for great occasions: weddings, christenings, funerals. Making mole is an act of love, patience and tradition that unites families and communities.