Mexican cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Salsa Roja Asada

Tomatoes, chiles de árbol and garlic charred on the comal, coarsely pounded in the molcajete into a smoky salsa.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 600 g ripe tomatoes
• 6 dried chiles de árbol
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 white onion
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Tortilla chips, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat a heavy pan or the comal very hot with no fat, and toast the unpeeled garlic cloves in it for 5 min., turning, until spotted black outside and soft inside.
2. Brush the chiles de árbol with the vegetable oil and toast for just 20-30 sec. per side until fragrant and slightly darker - if they brown too long the salsa turns bitter.
3. Place the whole tomatoes on the hot comal and turn for 10-12 min. until the skin is blistered and charred all over and the juices are running.
4. Peel the garlic and pound it with the chilies and the salt in the molcajete into a coarse paste.
5. Add the tomatoes with their charred skin gradually, pounding with short turns until a coarse, still chunky salsa forms.
6. Stir in the finely diced onion, adjust the seasoning, and serve lukewarm in the molcajete with tortilla chips or grilled meat.