MolesHard

Tablecloth Stainer Mole

Name: Tablecloth Stainer Mole
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 135 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 6 Ancho chilli; 3 Guajillo chilli; 2 Pasilla chilli; 800 g Pork, cut into pieces; 1 Sweet potato; 0.5 White onion; 2 tbsp Sesame seeds; 3 tbsp Almond; 1 Cinnamon stick; 3 cups Pork stock; 1 tbsp Sugar; 2 Cloves; 4 Tomato; 3 tbsp Lard; 1 Apple; 2 tbsp Raisins; 4 Allspice berries; 2 slices Pineapple; 1 Ripe plantain; 1 to taste Salt; 0.25 tsp Dried thyme; 1 tbsp Cider vinegar; 3 Garlic clove

135 min (45 prep + 90 cook) Hard 8 servings Puebla

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 4 Feb 2026 · Updated: 10 Mar 2026

A sweet-and-sour mole with chillies and tropical fruits, served with pork.

Servings

Custom:

💰 Estimated cost: £16.69

£2.09 per person

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Ingredients

6 Ancho chilli~£1.08find
3 Guajillo chilli~£0.24find
2 Pasilla chilli~£0.24find
800 g Pork, cut into pieces~£4.80find
1 Sweet potato~£0.75find
0.5 White onion~£0.09find
2 tbsp Sesame seeds~£0.75find
3 tbsp Almond~£0.54find
1 Cinnamon stick~£1.25find
3 cups Pork stock~£0.75find
1 tbsp Sugar~£0.02find
2 Cloves~£1.25find
4 Tomato~£1.20find
3 tbsp Lard~£0.14find
1 Apple~£0.50find
2 tbsp Raisins~£0.45find
4 Allspice berries~£1.50find
2 slices Pineapple~£0.50find
1 Ripe plantain~£0.38find
1 to taste Salt~£0.03find
0.3 tsp Dried thyme~£0.10find
1 tbsp Cider vinegar~£0.05find
3 Garlic clove~£0.08find

About this recipe

Manchamanteles is a festive mole from Puebla and Oaxaca whose name literally means 'tablecloth stainer', owing to the intense reddish colour it leaves on fabric. It stands apart from other moles thanks to the addition of fruits such as pineapple, plantain and apple, which give it a uniquely sweet-and-sour character. Prepared with pork or chicken.

History & Origin

Manchamanteles is a festive mole whose name reveals its mischievous nature: it literally means 'tablecloth stainer', because its intense reddish colour is virtually impossible to remove from fabric. Originating from Puebla and Oaxaca, this mole stands apart from all others by incorporating tropical fruits such as pineapple, plantain and apple, creating a unique sweet-and-sour profile that surprises the palate. Its recipe reflects the opulence of New Spain's convent cuisine, where nuns experimented with the abundance of New World fruits, combining them with the chillies and spices they already knew. It is traditionally prepared with pork or chicken for celebrations and patron saint festivals, particularly in the Mixteca region. A curious detail: in some villages in Oaxaca, families jealously keep the tablecloth stained from the first time they prepared manchamanteles, considering it a good-luck charm for their cooking.

Estimated cost

£14.34

Total cost

£1.79

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

432

Calories

29g

Protein

45g

Carbohydrates

26g

Fat

Fibre

926mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Simmer the pork in water with onion, garlic and salt for 45 minutes. Reserve the stock and meat.
2
Devein the ancho, guajillo and pasilla chillies. Toast on a dry comal for 30 seconds on each side. Soak in hot water for 20 minutes.
3
Peel the sweet potato and cut into 2 cm cubes. Boil separately in salted water for 15 minutes until just tender. Drain.
4
Cut the pineapple into chunks, the plantain into thick rounds and the apple into cubes. Fry the plantain in lard until golden.
💡 The plantain should be ripe (black skin) for sweetness.
5
Dry-roast the tomatoes, onion and garlic on a comal for 10 minutes. Toast the sesame seeds, almonds and raisins separately.
6
Blend the soaked chillies with the tomatoes, onion, garlic, sesame seeds, almonds, raisins and spices (cinnamon, allspice, cloves, thyme) with 2 cups of stock. Strain.
7
Heat the lard in a large pot over medium-high heat. Pour in the sauce and fry for 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
8
Add 1 cup of stock, the sugar and the cider vinegar. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat.
9
Add the pork, the fruits (pineapple, plantain, apple) and the sweet potato. Cook for a further 20 minutes over low heat until all the flavours meld together.
💡 Manchamanteles should have a balance of sweet, sour and spicy.
10
Adjust the salt and serve in deep bowls with rice and tortillas. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.