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 chile 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 chiles, tomatoes, seeds and spices long before the Spanish arrived.

The seven moles of Oaxaca

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

Can you make mole in the US?

You can use mole paste (Dona Maria, available at Mexican shops online, £3-5) as a base, or make a simplified version with dried chiles available in the US (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.