Use this bold Mexican adobo sauce with dried ancho and guajillo chiles, fresh ginger, and cumin for marinating meats, or as a powerful addition to tacos. Prep tip: Clean the dried chiles by wiping them with a damp cloth.

  • Yields: About 1/2 cup
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 40 mins
  • Active: 10 mins

Ingredients (6)

  • 4 dried ancho chiles, seeded and deveined
  • 4 dried guajillo chiles, seeded and deveined
  • 2 teaspoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Combine the ancho and guajillo chiles in a large bowl and add plenty of cold water to cover. Let them soak until soft, about 30 minutes.
  2. Place the soaked chiles in a blender along with the ginger, cumin, salt, and pepper. Blend until very smooth. Stop the motor a few times to scrape down the sides with a spatula and give things a stir, just to make sure everything’s getting puréed. Don’t be tempted to add liquid—you want the final sauce to be thick.
  3. Scrape the purée into a small bowl if you plan to use it soon, or into a jar with a tightfitting lid if you want to save it for later. It’ll keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for 3 months.