Salsa Macha

Ingredients

• 2 cups vegetable oil ((I used canola oil))
• 4 ancho chiles, (stemmed, seeded, and torn into large pieces)
• 3 árbol chiles, (stemmed)
• 2 guajillo chiles, (stemmed, seeded, and torn into large pieces)
• ⅓ cup roasted unsalted peanuts
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, (plus more to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. The oil should be hot enough that when a pepper is dropped into it, it will immediately start to sizzle, but not so hot that the oil is smoking.

2. 2

   Add the ancho, árbol, and guajillo chiles and lightly fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until nice and toasty. Be careful not to over-toast and burn them. Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, transfer the peppers to a large blender and set aside.

3. 3

   Add the peanuts, garlic, and sesame seeds and lightly fry for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, then remove the pan from the heat. Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, transfer the peanuts and garlic cloves to the blender.

4. 4

   Let the sesame seeds and oil cool for 5 minutes, then carefully pour them into the blender.

5. 5

   Add the apple cider vinegar and salt, and pulse the mixture 4 to 5 times in the blender until the pieces are fairly small and uniform in size but not completely pureed. There should be lots of crunchy bits. Taste and season with more salt as needed.

6. 6

   Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month.