The most popular mole sauce is mole poblano (also known as mole rojo or red mole), consisting of at least twenty ingredients, including the likes of cinnamon, black pepper, poblano chiles, cloves, anise seed, and chocolate. According to a popular legend, it was invented in the Mexican city of Puebla in the 16th century, when people in the Santa Rosa convent prepared a different version of the original Aztec sauce in order to show honor to a visiting bishop.
However, it's also associated with Oaxaca and its seven famous moles. Some say that the secret to a good mole lies in the roasting of chile seeds that become charred and act as flavor bombs when blended in the sauce. Traditionally, this flavorful and spicy sauce is served over poultry dishes such as chicken enchiladas accompanied by rice on the side.
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MOST ICONIC Mole Poblano
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Mojo de ajo is a garlic sauce that's popular in Mexico, Cuba, Chile, and many Caribbean and Latin American countries. It usually consists of olive oil, crushed garlic, salt, and lemon, orange, or lime juice. The ingredients are simply blended together until smooth and the sauce is ready to be consumed.
It can be used to season yucca, tostones, chicken, steaks, vegetables, and just about anything else. In Mexico, mojo de ajo is typically used with a fish known as pejelagarto.
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Mole is a family of rich Mexican sauces and the national dish of the country. The base usually contains Mexican chile peppers which are ground in molcajete - a traditional mortar and pestle made of stone. Other ingredients may vary, so moles can contain vegetables, fruits, spices, herbs, nuts, seeds, masa cornmeal, bread, and even chocolate, which adds earthy notes to the spicier ingredients.
Interestingly, the Aztecs called it molli, meaning concoction or mixture. The best-known mole is surely mole poblano, originating from Puebla. In Oaxaca, also known as “land of the seven moles”, one can find moles verdes (with cilantro), moles rojos (tomatoes, sesame seeds), moles negros (chiles, chocolate, nuts, dried fruits), manchamantel (tomatoes, pineapple, ancho chiles, cinnamon, bananas), orange-red moles (plantains), mole almendrado (almonds), and cacahuate (peanuts).
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MOST ICONIC Mole
View moreMole negro or black mole is a traditional sauce originating from Oaxaca as one of the seven moles of Oaxaca. This is the most complex type of Mexican mole and it's usually made with ingredients such as hoja santa (aromatic, licorice-tasting herb), cinnamon, cumin, cloves, onions, garlic, dried chili peppers, cilantro, pumpkin and sesame seeds, dark chocolate, bread, and dried fruits.
Once prepared, mole negro is always served over different foods and it's never eaten on its own.
MOST ICONIC Mole negro
View moreIn Oaxaca, Mexico, there are seven types of mole, dark and rich sauces that are drizzled over Mexican staple dishes throughout the country. The moles of Oaxaca include mole negro, made with dark chocolate; mole rojo, also known as mole poblano; mole coloradito, made with mashed plantain; mole amarillo, made with tomatillos and masa harina; mole verde, made with coriander and ground pumpkin seeds; mole chichilo, made with beef stock and thickened with tortillas or masa harina, and mole manchamantel; meaning tablecloth-stainer, made with chorizo grease, tomatoes, pineapple, and chili peppers.
Although there are seven moles in Oaxaca, every family has their own version of each of the seven sauces, so one can only begin to imagine the varieties.
VARIATIONS OF Seven Moles of Oaxaca
MOST ICONIC Seven Moles of Oaxaca
View morePipian or mole verde or green mole is a spicy Mexican mole sauce with a unique, nutty flavor. Although the most famous version comes from Oaxaca as one of the seven moles of Oaxaca, where every household has their own version, green mole is prepared all over Mexico.
It's usually made with ingredients such as cumin, coriander, garlic, dried chiles, and ground squash or pumpkin seeds which are either dried or roasted. Lemon juice can be additionally added to the combination in order for pipian to develop a more liquid consistency.
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MOST ICONIC Pipian
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Creole sauce is a traditional spicy, tangy, and flavorful sauce from Louisiana. It is an essential part of Creole cuisine, popular in the Southern United States and most Caribbean countries. Creole sauce was originally created to accompany seafood dishes, which were a staple of Creole cooking.
It was made with a blend of ingredients readily available in Louisiana, including tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and garlic. It was often spiced up with cayenne pepper, which gave it a distinct kick. Over time, the sauce evolved, and different versions emerged - milder, spicier, one with Worcestershire sauce, and many more.
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MOST ICONIC Creole Sauce
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Honey dill sauce consists of honey, mayonnaise, and dried dill – an ingredient that is unique to Manitoba. It was created by accident, when the owner of a Winnipeg restaurant mistakenly invented it by trying to copy the sauce from another restaurant.
The sauce was a great success and remained a Winnipeg staple. It is typically used as a dipping sauce for chicken fingers and sweet potato fries, although some people use it with salmon, roasted carrots, and even with spaghetti.
MOST ICONIC Honey dill
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Although not much is known about the history of honey garlic sauce, it is especially popular in Canadian cuisine. This sweet and sour sauce is typically used on a variety of meat dishes such as barbecued ribs, chicken wings, and meatballs. It is most often made with a combination of brown sugar, ginger, soy sauce, garlic, and honey.
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Carolina Gold is a mustard-based sauce that pairs especially well with poultry and pork dishes. Apart from mustard, the sauce is thinned with vinegar, then perfected with the addition of various spices and ingredients such as honey, hot sauce, and brown sugar for a tangy, slightly sweet and hot flavor.
Numerous sources claim that Carolina Gold is best used with pulled pork, providing contrast and depth of flavor to the whole meal.
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