Salsa macha is an outlier in Mexico’s salsa world. There are no tomatillos or tomatoes in this recipe, no puree of dried chiles. Instead, salsa macha in its most common versions celebrates dried chiles, nuts, seeds and garlic in oil, turning out a toasty preparation that looks for all the world like Chinese chili crisp, though more dynamic in flavor. The origin of salsa macha, most contend, is the mountainous parts of Veracruz, having existed there long before Mexico’s chiles ever made it to China. Truth is, I have encountered salsa macha more regularly in Baja and Mexico’s west coast than I have in Veracruz. And, in the last couple of decades, it’s become the darling of the modern Mexican chef movement–owing, I’m sure, to the fact that it’s an easy salsa to be creative with, it resembles the flavored oils so popular in the fine-dining world, and, once made, it keeps for months.
“Macha” in the title likely refers to the salsa’s intense spice level (anything ‘macho” typically indicates something potent, bold or fierce), owing to the fact that it was originally made only with incendiary árbol chiles. Or maybe, as some researchers contend, “macha” is short for “machacada,” referring to the salsa crushed/chopped texture. The jury’s still out on that one.
Chiles and oil are essential here, though you can feel free to use a mixture of chiles to tame the heat. Garlic is essential, too. And so are the seeds and nuts, which swiftly moves this salsa away from chili crisp. Sesame, pumpkin seeds and peanuts are classic, but I’ve tasted them made with everything from cashews and black walnuts to almonds and hazelnuts. And, if I can throw in my two cents, I love to add about ⅓ cup of dried cranberries when I’m blending the mixture.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 cups olive oil or neutral oil
- 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup or 1 large head) peeled garlic cloves
- 2 ounces raw peanuts, pumpkin seeds (or some of both) or other nuts (if you have roasted ones, add them along with the sesame)
- 2 ounces dried chiles, stemmed, seeded and cut into roughly ½-inch pieces (I like mostly guajillo and/or cascabel chiles with a few arbol chiles)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons untoasted sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons vinegar (I prefer balsamic here, but apple cider is more common in Mexico)
- Salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the garlic and nuts. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium to medium-low. Add the garlic and nuts. Cook gently (it’s more a gentle confit than frying), stirring from time to time, until the garlic is just softening and the nuts are slightly golden, about 10 minutes, depending on the temperature of your oil and size of the nuts.
Add the chiles and sesame. Stir until they release a toasty aroma—a minute or two—then add the vinegar, ¼ cup water, a scant teaspoon salt and the cranberries if you’re using them. Stir for a minute or so, then remove from the heat and let cool.
Blend the salsa. Pour everything into a blender jar (or you can use an immersion blender.) Start at low speed to get all the ingredients moving through the blade uniformly. Slowly increase the speed to medium. Check the consistency and blend only until the chiles and peanuts are in small pieces. It should not be puréed, but should be the texture of the chile oil you see on the tables of Chinese restaurants. For long storage, scrape it into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator.
