Salsa Macha

I love salsa macha because it has so much going on: dried chiles, toasted nuts, seeds, and spices all packed into one spoonful. It reminds me a little of chile crisp, but with a completely different flavor profile.

It’s easy to make and good on just about anything. I especially like it over eggs, ceviche, or a bowl of congee, and I usually keep a jar in the fridge for whenever a dish needs a little heat and texture.

Salsa macha is blended in a food processor, leaving some small crunchy bits of nuts and seeds.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes, plus cooling
Yield: About 1 1/2 cups salsa macha

Ingredients:

220 g (1 cup) neutral oil

5 cloves garlic

60 g dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded, cut into 2-inch pieces with scissors (about 10 large chiles) (See Notes)

50 g cashews

40 g unsalted peanuts

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, cashews, and peanuts and fry until lightly golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2. Add the chiles and fry briefly until fragrant, turning frequently, 15 to 30 seconds. Do not let them blacken or they may become bitter.

3. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the sesame seeds and oregano and let them toast briefly in the residual heat.

4. Let everything cool slightly, then transfer the chiles, garlic, nuts, seeds, oregano, and oil to a food processor. Pulse until fine, with some small bits remaining.

5. Season with the salt, adding more to taste.

6. Storage: Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month, stir well before serving.

The garlic, cashews, and peanuts are fried together since they brown at about the same rate, then removed from the oil once lightly golden.

The sesame seeds and oregano are added after the heat is turned off, since they toast very quickly in the residual heat.

Pulse until fine. It’s difficult to over-process salsa macha in a food processor, since the nuts and chiles will still retain a little texture rather than becoming completely smooth.

Notes:

1. Wear disposable gloves when handling dried chiles. The chile oils can irritate your hands and may remain on your skin even after washing, so avoid touching your eyes or face.

2. For a spicier salsa macha: This version is fairly mild. For more heat, replace 1 to 2 of the guajillo chiles with chile de árbol or morita, depending on how spicy you like it.