Our homestay mother, Doña Maria's, 90-year-old grandmother makes the recado negro paste which is the herb and spice base of this yummy chirmole dish in the small town of Tepich (where the Caste War or Guerra de Castas started). You can buy already prepared recado negro in most markets in Mexico but here we will detail how you can make it at home so you can make Doña Maria's chirmole. 

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ kilos of chicken

• 20 chiles de árbol

• 5 cloves of garlic

• 1 tsp of pepper

• 6 dried oregano leaves

• 1 ½ medium-sized onions  

• 3 tomatoes

• Salt to taste

Method:

To prepare the recado negro:

• Char 20 chiles de arbol over an open flame.

• Soak the burnt chiles in a cup of water. Let them rest for 1 hour then drain the water with a strainer.

• Put the burnt chile in a pestle. Add garlic, pepper, oregano leaves and ½ an onion. Once you have grinded everything together, that is your recado negro.

To prepare the chirmole:

• Put the recado negro in a cup or bowl with a bit of water and salt so that it can be used as the marinade. 

• Cover the chicken pieces in the marinade and place in a saucepan, cover with any remaining recado negro.

• Cut the tomatoes and onion into slices and put them on top of the chicken. 

• Put a cup and a half of water in the bottom of the saucepan with the chicken to not wash off the recado negro.

• Cover the saucepan and cook on medium heat for 45 minutes.

• Serve with tortillas and enjoy!

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