Salsa Macha
A crunchy, nutty Mexican chili oil made with dried chilies, peanuts, sesame seeds, and garlic, fried in one skillet. Drizzle it over everything that wants some heat.
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable oil divided
- 1/3 cup raw unsalted peanuts
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- 2 ounces dried chiles, such as guajillo, morita, pasilla, or árbol stemmed and seeded, about 1 1/2 - 2 cups
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or to taste
- 3 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
- 1 red jalapeno chopped and seeded (optional; for heat)
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, heat 1/4 cup of the vegetable oil until hot but not smoking. Add the peanuts and garlic cloves; stir and fry just until they begin to color, about 30 seconds (be careful not to burn them). Add the sesame seeds and the stemmed and seeded chiles, stir and continue to fry until the chiles are lightly toasted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the remaining 3/4 cup vegetable oil. Return to medium-low heat and cook until the oil is a light orange or yellow color, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and let cool for 15 minutes.
- Pour the chili mixture, including all the oil, into a blender or food processor. Add the salt, sugar, vinegar, and fresh jalapeno (if using) and process or blend just until the garlic and peanuts are finely chopped (careful not to overprocess or puree). Taste and season with more salt if needed.
- Pour salsa into an airtight container and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Chili paste will sink to the bottom once it rests. Stir it up to combine well (or let it settle and use the flavored oil).