Mole Coloradito

Ingredients

• 1.4 kg (3 lb)chicken — cut into serving pieces
• 6dried ancho chiles — stemmed and seeded
• 4dried guajillo chiles — stemmed and seeded
• 4roma tomatoes — roasted
• 1white onion — roasted
• 5 clovesgarlic — roasted in the skin
• 1ripe plantain — fried
• 60 g (1/2 cup)almonds
• 3 tbspsesame seeds — toasted
• 1cinnamon stick
• 1 tspMexican oregano
• 1/2 tspdried thyme
• 60 g (2 oz)Mexican chocolate — chopped
• 4 tbsplard
• 1.5 L (6 cups)chicken broth
• 1 tspfine salt
• 18corn tortillas — warmed on the comal

Method

1. Stem and seed the 6 dried ancho chiles and 4 dried guajillo chiles. Heat a dry comal over medium heat and toast the chiles for about 30 seconds on each side until they release a sweet aroma. Be careful not to let them scorch, as this will impart a bitter taste to the mole.
2. Place the toasted chiles in a bowl and cover them with hot water. Let them soak while you char the vegetables. On the same comal, place 4 roma tomatoes, 1 white onion (halved), and 5 cloves of garlic. Turn them occasionally until they are blackened in spots and the tomatoes start to soften, which should take about 10 minutes.
3. In a large skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of lard over medium heat. Fry 60 g (1/2 cup) almonds and 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds until golden brown. Remove them and set aside. In the same skillet, fry 1 ripe plantain (sliced) until caramelized, then remove. Add 1 cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, frying briefly until fragrant.
4. Drain the soaked chiles and place them in a blender along with the charred vegetables, fried nuts, seeds, plantain, and spices. Blend until you achieve a thick, smooth paste. You may need to add a little soaking water to help blend the ingredients thoroughly.
5. In a large pot, heat the remaining lard over medium heat. Add the chile paste and fry it, stirring constantly, until it darkens and smells toasted, about 10 minutes. Break 60 g (2 oz) of Mexican chocolate into pieces and stir into the paste until melted.
6. Gradually add 1.5 L (6 cups) of chicken broth to the pot, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook on low heat for at least an hour, stirring occasionally. The mole should be thick and coat the back of a spoon.
7. Meanwhile, poach 1.4 kg (3 lb) of chicken in salted water until cooked through. Once the mole has simmered, add the poached chicken pieces to the pot. Season the mole with 1 teaspoon fine salt and adjust with a little sugar if needed to balance the flavors.
8. Serve the Mole Coloradito hot with 18 corn tortillas on the side. The rich, complex sauce should envelop the chicken, and the aroma will be inviting and warm, perfect for a family meal.