When we are asked, as Mexicans, to rate the best taquerias or Mexican restaurants, it almost always comes down to the salsas they offer (both in the kitchen and at the table). Salsas are the secret ingredient of Mexico’s cuisine! Who would want to eat moisten totopos with a flavorless salsa… And it’s not just about the level of spiciness, although it’s always a big plus.
Having said that, this is a true spicy Mexican salsa, meaning you’ll probably end up drinking a gallon of milk afterward. So, tweak the tomato-chili ratio to your liking. Start with 1-1 and add more chili as you go.
Oh, and DO NOT touch your eyes while making this, because you’ll be handling one of the spiciest chilis out there…
PS. If you master this homemade Mexican salsa, you’ll master almost every Mexican dish: chilaquiles, enchiladas, sopes, flautas, chicharron en salsa verde, huevos divorciados… you name it!
Homemade Mexican Salsa Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 Green tomatoes
- 36 Chile de árbol peppers (Tree chili peppers. They are long, thin & super spicy). The ratio is 3 chili peppers per tomato, but you can use your judgement and start with a 1-1 ratio.
- 5 Coriander stems (chop the excess stem, but do not remove the leaves)
- 1 Garlic clove
- 1/4 Small onion
- 2 tsp Chicken flavor bouillon powder (we use Knorr)
- 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
Preparation
- Boil water in a medium-size pot (enough to cover the tomatoes and chilis). Then, add the chilis (without stems) and the tomatoes and cook them at low heat until they turn dark green. Strain them and put the water aside; you’ll use it later.
- Mix in a blender the cooked tomatoes and chilis with the garlic, onion, and coriander. Do not add water.
- If you want to avoid a severe coughing episode, you may want to open the windows and turn on the extractor fan for the next step…
- In a large pan, fry two slices of onion with 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. When the onions turn golden, remove them and add the salsa from the blender. In low heat, let it boil for 5 minutes. Move constantly.
- Add the chicken flavor bouillon and a little bit of the water you used to cook the chilis and tomatoes. Let it heat for another 10 minutes and keep adding water until you have the desired consistency. If you want it for chilaquiles or enchiladas, add more water to make it runny.
See? It’s super easy! Now, go enjoy your Homemade Mexican Salsa, and stay tuned for our next recipe: Nils’ famous Enchiladas (we’ll use this salsa)!
In the meantime, if you want a delicious dessert, make our Traditional Mexican Flan Recipe.
