My mole paste almost didn't get through airport check-in when I left Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. That would have been a shame. I had tasted mole rojo so delicious at a fonda in the Zihuatanejo market that I wanted to copy it at home.
No problem. A stall in the market (above) sold the mole rojo paste, which comes from the town of Teloloapan in the state of Guerrero, where Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo is located.
I bought half a kilo and put it in my carry-on. Big mistake. The guy who examined my bag wouldn't allow the mole to go through. When I protested, I was sent out of the check-in area to confer with airline officials. They couldn't help.
In a sneaky move, I checked back in at a different counter. This time, the mole paste survived. No need to hide it. The inspector examined it and put it back in my bag.
Heartbreak avoided, I could now think without regret of the delicious comida corrida I had eaten at Fonda Melania in the Zihuatanejo market. The 40-peso menu (about $3) included the mole rojo with chicken, beans, rice, handmade corn tortillas and a drink, agua de limón (limeade). The menu above shows the other options.
The big, rustic tortillas were made to order, and I could have as many as I wanted.
Soon, a roving vendor (above) sat down at the counter, parked his candied apples and ordered the same mole.
Teloloapan is famous for mole, and people make their own paste at home, so there must be many variations. The one I bought is spicy and not sweet. The mole at the fonda was sweeter, so perhaps the cook had seasoned it to her own taste.
I've seen Teloloapan red mole paste in Mexican markets in Los Angeles, sold either in bulk or in containers that don't indicate what company makes it or where it is actually made.
If you want the real thing, you can get it from Rivas Food Company in Santa Ana, which is run by a family from Teloloapan. Their paste comes in tubs of various sizes. If it's too spicy for you, Julian Rivas (above) suggests adding a little sugar.
Here is my version of the mole rojo from Zihuatanejo. It isn't sweet, but you can add sugar until it tastes the way you like it.
POLLO EN MOLE ROJO DE TELALOAPAN
Chicken in Red Mole from Telaloapan
2 pounds chicken thighs or drumsticks, skinned and fat removed
4 cups water
1 slice onion
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
10 peppercorns
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup Teloloapan red mole paste
2 cups broth
Place the chicken in a Dutch oven. Add the water, onion, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 45 minutes, loosely covered. Turn off the heat and let the chicken cool in the broth.
When ready to serve, drain the chicken, reserving the broth. Set aside 2 cups broth for the mole. Save the remainder for another use such as to cook rice.
Clean the Dutch oven. Add the oil and heat. Stir in the mole paste until smooth, then slowly add 2 cups chicken broth, stirring until smooth.
Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Taste the sauce. If you prefer sweeter mole, add sugar.
Add the drained chicken pieces and reheat in the sauce.
Serve the chicken and mole sauce with rice, beans if desired and hot tortillas.
Makes 4 servings.
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