Chile mulato

Chile mulato

What it is

Ancho and mulato are the same poblano pepper: picked red it dries to an ancho, left on the plant until it turns brown it dries to a mulato, and those extra weeks trade the ancho's fruit for chocolate, tobacco and liquorice. Held up to the light a mulato reads brown and an ancho red, which is the only reliable way to tell two flat black chillies apart.

In the kitchen

With ancho and pasilla it forms the mole poblano trio, where it usually takes the largest share, ancho behind it and pasilla the smallest part. Toast on a dry comal ten seconds a side — at thirty it turns acrid and takes the whole pot with it.

Goes with

Dark chocolate Almond Sesame Cinnamon Clove Turkey Raisin Tomato

Same species

Ají amarillo Ají panca Ajvar Aleppo pepper Ancho chilli Bell pepper

Also used with

Chilhuacle negro

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