Mole for Day of the Dead: the dish of the offering

What is it?

Mole for Day of the Dead is one of the central dishes of the Mexican altar on 1 and 2 November, especially in the central and southern states of the country: Puebla, Oaxaca, Tlaxcala, the State of Mexico, Morelos, Hidalgo, Guerrero. It is placed in a clay pot on the altar as symbolic food for the souls who return, accompanied by red rice, warm tortillas, pan de muerto, water and salt. After the offering ritual, families share the mole in a collective meal that celebrates the spiritual presence of the deceased. The varieties vary by region: mole poblano in Puebla and the centre, mole negro or amarillo in Oaxaca, green pumpkin-seed mole in Guerrero, almond or "novia" mole in other areas. It is one of the most symbolic and technically complex dishes of ritual Mexican cooking.

Origin and history

Mole has a pre-Hispanic origin in its original form as "mulli" (sauce in Nahuatl), prepared by Mesoamerican peoples with chillies, seeds and spices. After the Conquest, mole was enriched with Spanish ingredients (cinnamon, almonds, sesame, cloves, pepper), Arab (spices) and African ones. The legend of mole poblano attributes it to Sor Andrea de la Asunción in the convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla in the seventeenth century, although contemporary historiography recognises that mole is a collective mestizo product of centuries of evolution. Bernardino de Sahagún documented Mesoamerican chilli sauces in the sixteenth century. The association of mole with the Day of the Dead comes from the viceregal period, when indigenous peoples maintained the pre-Hispanic ritual of offering food to the dead but adopted syncretic dishes. Larousse Cocina and México Desconocido agree that mole is the most elaborate and symbolic dish on the altars. UNESCO inscribed traditional Mexican cuisine, with mole as a central expression, as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.

Characteristic ingredients

There are at least seven major families of moles for Day of the Dead depending on the region. Mole poblano combines 20-30 ingredients: chile ancho, mulato, pasilla and chipotle; almonds, sesame, peanuts, chilli seeds; cinnamon, cloves, pepper, aniseed; raisins, Oaxaca chocolate, plantain; stale bread and tortillas as thickeners. Oaxacan mole negro is even more complex (30+ ingredients) with chilhuacle negro chillies and burnt chocolate. Oaxacan mole amarillo is simpler and more herbaceous with chile chilcosle. Green pumpkin-seed mole uses pumpkin seed and fresh herbs (epazote, coriander). Mole de novia is clear with almonds and cream. The common technique is to toast, hydrate and grind the ingredients in a metate or mill, fry the paste in lard, dilute with broth and slow-cook for hours. It is served over turkey, chicken or pork. Its traditional preparation takes 2-3 days.

Cultural significance

Mole on the Day of the Dead is the supreme expression of Mexican cultural syncretism: the most complex, symbolic and communal dish of national cuisine is offered to the deceased as a gesture of love, memory and continuity. Making mole is a collective ritual: traditionally the whole family takes part in grinding the ingredients on the metate, which takes days and brings several generations together. The pot of mole is placed on the Day of the Dead altar in a clay pot, symbolising the kitchen as a meeting place between the living and the dead. After the offering, the mole is shared at a ceremonial meal that brings extended families together. Traditional Mexican cuisine, recognised by UNESCO in 2010 (with Michoacán as a paradigm), has in mole one of its most representative expressions. The Indigenous Festivities Dedicated to the Dead were also recognised by UNESCO in 2008. Mole sustains rural economies: production of chillies, spices, cacao, sesame, generating income for thousands of Mexican peasant families.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between mole poblano and Oaxacan mole for Day of the Dead?

Mole poblano (Puebla, central Mexico) is dark mahogany in colour, sweet-spicy with chocolate, almonds and many dried chillies. Oaxacan mole negro is almost black, more smoky and deep, with burnt chilhuacle chillies. Both are offered on Day of the Dead but in different regions: poblano in the centre, Oaxacan negro and amarillo in Oaxaca. The Oaxacan complexity is usually greater.

What does Day of the Dead mole taste like?

It tastes of a deep combination of toasted dried chillies (smoky, slightly spicy), sweet spices (cinnamon, cloves, aniseed), nuts (almonds, sesame), bitter chocolate notes and fruity notes (raisins, plantain). It is complex, dense, with many layers of flavour that evolve as you chew. It is not extremely spicy but aromatic-sweet-toasted, with moderate sweetness.

How is mole served on the altar?

It is served in a small clay pot on the altar as a symbolic offering for the returning souls, accompanied by red rice, warm tortillas wrapped in a napkin, pan de muerto, a jug of water, candied squash and other favourite foods of the deceased. After the night-time offering of 1 to 2 November, the family eats the mole at a collective meal.

Where does mole originate?

Mole has pre-Hispanic roots in the Mesoamerican mulli (sauce of chilli and seeds), enriched after the Conquest with European ingredients (sweet spices, almonds), Arab and African ones. Legend attributes it to the convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla in the seventeenth century, but modern historiography considers it a collective mestizo product. Traditional Mexican cuisine was recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage.