Mexican Heritage Month Guest Post: Our first Guest of this Mexican Heritage Month is Carmen Mendoza. In this post Carmen shows the use of tree seeds in México to create the recipe for this sauce in a recipe for pork but that it can also be used to make enchiladas.
Guaxmole or Huaxmole
“I don’t fool around with guajes”.
In Spanish, “hacerse guaje” (lit: “to make oneself guaje”) is to pretend to be the fool or act dumb. But for now, we need not get confused with two similar words that have different meanings.
Guaxmole (also known as “huaxmole” or “mole de guaje”) is a dish that is prepared with guaje seeds (pronounced “goo-ah-heh”), which are also known as huaxin, cacalas, or cascalhuite. Guaje seeds are eaten in many ways, including dried, cooked, raw, or roasted. In its preparations it is used to add consistency to stews and cooked dishes.
The guaje used to make guaxmole comes from a tree that is not very good looking, but is still a source of foods for birds and humans alike. One can still see flocks of birds perched up on these trees peeling the pods away in order to eat the seeds. I have also seen some people gather them in order to sell them in the markets as a source of income. Guajes pods are among the foods that were gathered by the ancient Mexicans, along with wild mushrooms and colorín flowers.
Now to the recipe:
How to make Guaxmole or Huaxmole
Instructions:
- In a medium-size pot, barely cover the meat with water, add the onion and salt and cook over low heat until it is half cooked. Drain meat and save the broth. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Blend the tomatoes with garlic and onion in a blender until you have a smooth puree.
- In a skillet heat the lard and sauté the meat. Top with tomato sauce and cook over fairly high heat about 10 minutes, until it is well cooked and reduce slightly.
- Puree chiles with a cup of broth until mixture is kept smooth. Gradually add the guaje seeds and blend until mixture is smooth. Add it to the pan along with another cup of broth, cilantro, and salt to taste and simmer, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking, about 45 minutes. The sauce should have a medium consistency, add more broth or water if you need to dilute it.
GUAXMOLE OR HUAXMOLE
Ingredients
- 1 Lb. pork ribs cut into small pieces
- ⅓ white onion coarsely chopped
- 1 Lb. coarsely chopped tomatoes
- ⅓ white onion coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons lard
- 10 oz. guaje seeds See note for substitution recommendation
- 6 serrano peppers more or less to your taste.
- 6 large cilantro springs
- 8 corn tortillas
Instructions
- In a medium size pot, barely cover the meat with water, add the onion and salt and cook over low heat until it is half cooked. Drain meat and save the broth.
- Blend the tomatoes with garlic and onion in a blender until you have a smooth pure.
- In a skillet heat the lard and sauté the meat. Top with tomato sauce and cook over fairly high heat about 10 minutes, until it is well cooked and reduce slightly.
- Puree chiles with a cup of broth until mixture is kept smooth. Gradually add the guaje seeds and blend until mixture is smooth. Add it to the pan along with another cup of broth, cilantro and salt to taste and simmer, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking, about 45 minutes. The sauce should have a medium consistency, add more broth or water if you need to dilute it.
Notes
Nutrition
Buen Provecho!
Mely,
The make the Huaxmole Enchiladas prepare the sauce as directed and follow the instructions of the Enfrijoladas to form them.
By Guest Author: Carmen Mendoza describes herself as a person with an Adventurous palate, an irreverent mystic, a generous cook, a virtuous friend, a hydroponic gardener and an environmentalist by religion. I would also add Ancient Mexican Food Promoter. If you would like to know more about her visit her Blog at “Saborearte Entusiasma”
Ruth S. Macotela
Whax is that?! jajaja... Como siempre muchas gracias Mely por compartir tus geniales recetas. Gracias por servir de intermediaria y asi poder conocer a tan lindas personas a travez de tu sitio.
Nunca habia visto esta semilla en mi vida, pero ahora que tenga la oportunidad ya no me quedare con cara de "whax" 🙂
Saludos!
xo
Mely
Jajaja! That was funny! I am glad you liked Carmen's post. she is always writing very interesting things in her blog.
Mely
Swathi Iyer
Thanks for introducing guaje seeds Mely and Carmen. I like traditional recipes like this.
Nammi
Have to agree with Swathi, I love learning about new recipes from other countries. Love that bright green colour of that seed 🙂
Pily
Cómo me llama la atención éste platillo de Carmen!! me gusta mucho cómo cocina y nos enseña verdadera cocina mexicana!!!
Qué rico, aunque nunca lohe probado 😀
Saludos Mely y gracias Carmen!
NORMA RUIZ
Que bonita entrada Mely, me ha traido tantos recuerdos esos guajes a mi padre (q.e.d.)le encantaban teníamos un árbol en casa y siempre los comiamos acompañando simplemente una tortillita caliente y cebollita rebanada con sal, que delicia mis recuerdos de la infancia, esta forma de utilizarlos me ha encantado seguro en cuanto encuentre la pruebo, saludos cariñosos.
Carmen
Mely querida, qué bien que haces estas entradas en homenaje a nuestro querido país. Yo te aprecio el trabajo de traducirlo.
Y de verdad es un platillo excelente, no se lo deben perder.
Abrazos
Prieta
El guante me trae recuerdos de mi padre. A él le gustaba la salsa de molcajete con guajes y un molito como el de Carmen. Que bonito post Mely, me gusta como le haces proyección a nuestra comida mexicana y nuestros bloqueos mexicanos también. Besos.
Kristen McIntyre
This seeds is very common in our country.You may find it anywhere especially in provinces.
The tree is very common and just a usual tree.Many never knew the health benefits it may give.
Lori
It has been way too long since I visited your blog- I have a lot to catch up on!
Chris
These reminded me of the enfrijoladas as soon as I saw the first picture. This looks really good and I love anything with pork:)