Compuesto Chili Powder
Feel free to mix or add additional dried chiles to make your own version, or conversely stick with only one kind of chile if you prefer. It's up to your personal preference. I prefer the different characteristics allowed by a blend of different types.
Equipment
- Spice grinder
- measuring cups and spoons
- chef knife
- cutting board
- kitchen scissors
- fine mesh sieve
Ingredients
- 5 whole Hatch Red "Sandia" Chile, dry roasted, seeded, and stemmed (Flavorful, garlicky, onion and subtlety sweet)
- 1 whole Ancho or dried Poblano Chile, dry roasted, seeded and stems removed (Undertones of plum and raisin, tobacco and slightly earthy)
- 3 whole Guajillo Chile or dried Mirasol Chile, dry roasted, seeded, and stems removed (Fruity slightly sweet with hints of pine and berries)
- 3 whole Pasilla de Oaxaca, roasted, seeded, and stemmed (Deep smoky flavor, can substitute for Chile Meco)
- 2 whole Pasilla Negro or dried Chilaca Chile, dry roasted, seeded, and stems removed (Rich earthy flavor)
- 6 whole Hatch Luci Fairy, dry roasted, seeded, and stems removed (Bright and hot that can substitute with Chile de Arbol)
Instructions
- First, begin by roasting each type of chile until it blisters and starts to smoke over medium-high heat. Once all of the chiles have been roasted, remove the tops and shake out the seeds.
- Tear open the pods, pull out and discard the ribs and cut the pieces with scissors.
- Grind the chiles in batches to a fine powder in a coffee or spice grinder.
- Empty each batch into a fine-mesh sieve over a small bowl and sift the chile powder to remove larger bits that won't fit through the sieve.
- Discard the contents of the sieve after sifting each batch.
- When all of the chiles have been ground and sifted, stir the chile powder to ensure that it’s well blended.
- Turn the powder into a labeled or marked jar with a tight-fitting lid. (Good quality ziplock's work great too.)