Chirmol (Tabasco Charred Tomato Salsa)

History & Origin

Chirmol is an ancestral salsa from Tabasco and south-eastern Mexico, distinguished by its preparation method: the tomatoes and chillies are charred directly over embers until partially blackened, giving an intense smoky flavour. The name has Mayan roots and is used across the south-east. Unlike a conventional red salsa that is blended, chirmol is prepared by crushing the charred ingredients in a volcanic-stone molcajete, giving it a rustic, grainy texture. The ingredients are simple but the technique makes all the difference: red tomato, habanero chilli, fresh coriander, onion, lime juice and salt. In Tabasco, chirmol accompanies virtually everything: wood-fired fish, chipilín tamales, pork and beans, eggs and meats. Every family has their own version, varying the amount of habanero.