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Pumpkin seed sauce enchiladas
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Pumpkin Seed Sauce Enchiladas

Pumpkin Seed Sauce Enchiladas are called “Empipianadas”, and are popular in my hometown of Tampico, as well as in other areas of the country. They get their name from the seeds of a type of squash called “Pipiana”. This an easy and quick recipe done in a matter of minutes! Come and see it!
Course Antojitos
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Pumpkin Seed Sauce Enchiladas
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 445kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 ­ ⅛ oz. hulled untoasted pumpkin seeds (about 10 tbsp.)
  • 1 Serrano pepper 2 if you like it spicy
  • 1 small garlic clove unpeeled
  • 1 cup of water or chicken broth
  • ½ tsp. of salt
  • 8 “La Tortilla Factory”  handmade style corn tortillas*
  • ¼ cup of vegetable oil to fry the tortillas
  • 2 tbsp. of lard or oil for the sauce
  • cups of crumbled Queso Fresco
  • cup white or red onion chopped or thinly sliced

Optional for garnish to enhance you Pumpkin Seed Enchiladas:

  • cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 Serrano pepper thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Roast the serrano pepper and garlic clove on a griddle over medium heat. Remove promptly and set aside. Remove the skin from the garlic.
  • At low heat on the same griddle, roast the pumpkin seeds, making sure to not overcrowd the griddle. If necessary, roast them in two batches to have an even roasting. Once the seeds start popping, stir them frequently with a wooden spatula until they puff up. They will acquire a medium-golden color. Once they’re done, place them in a bowl to let them cool.
  • Place the Serrano peppers, garlic clove, roasted pumpkin seeds, one cup of water (or chicken broth), and ½ teaspoon of salt in a blender. Process these ingredients until you have a fine sauce. If needed, you can stop the blender to stir the mixture manually in order to make sure everything gets processed evenly. Once the sauce is ready, set it aside.
  • Place a paper napkin on a plate and set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and lightly fry the tortillas. This is a very quick step, since it takes about 15 seconds per each side of the tortilla. You will only warm the tortilla enough to make it pliable. Place the tortilla on the already-prepared dish covered with the paper napkin.
  • To assemble to your pumpkin seed sauce enchiladas, add 2 tablespoons of crumbled queso fresco on each tortilla and fold them. Place two folded enchiladas on a plate to make one serving.
  • Heat two tablespoons of lard or vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once it is hot, pour in the pumpkin seed (“pipian”) sauce. Gently stir it and reduce the heat; do not let it come to a boil since this will cause the sauce to curdle. Gently simmer it for 5-6 minutes; this last step will make the sauce thicker. If it looks too thick, add a few tablespoons of water or chicken broth. Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed.
  • Pour some of the pumpkin seed/pipian sauce over the enchiladas, then top them with more queso fresco and some chopped onion.

Notes

  • I used “La Tortilla Factory” handmade-style tortillas (Yellow corn-wheat)
  • These enchiladas with its light green pumpkin seed sauce, are usually made by dipping the tortillas in the sauce, adding some queso fresco in the center, and folding them in half. They are then garnished with crumbled queso fresco and chopped (or sliced) white onion.
  • If you live in a country where queso fresco or other similar cheeses (like farmer’s cheese) are not available, use Feta cheese.
  • You can also enjoy this recipe as a raw pumpkin seed sauce over your grilled chicken or a dipping sauce, similar to a Mexican pumpkin seed dip from the south of Mexico.

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 610mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 485IU | Vitamin C: 2.9mg | Calcium: 304mg | Iron: 0.8mg