The Many Faces of Mole

Mole is the generic name for several rich, dark sauces used in Mexican cuisine, as well as for dishes based on these sauces.

Classic Mole Poblano is prepared with a variety of dried chili peppers (commonly ancho, pasilla, poblano, mulato and chipotle), ground nuts and/or seeds (almonds, indigenous peanuts, and/or sesame seeds), spices, onions, garlic, dried oregano, Mexican chocolate (cacao ground with sugar and cinnamon and occasionally nuts), and salt. In Mexican kitchens charred avocado leaves may also be added.

In contemporary Mexico, the term is used for a number of sauces, some quite dissimilar to each other. The differences lie in the vegetables (tomatoes, tomatillos), chilies (chipolte, guajillo, chilhuacle, etc.), nuts/seeds (almonds, pine nuts, peanuts) and/or spices used in the recipe (chocolate is not in every mole!).

The word is also widely known in the combined form: guacamole (avocado sauce).