Online CookbookThousands of recipes
Online Cookbook Recipe Editorially reviewed

New Mexico-Style Red Chili

A flexible red chile sauce thickened with flour and seasoned with cumin, oregano, garlic, and optional cilantro.

Ingredients

  • Olive oil or another cooking oil
  • All-purpose flour, for thickening
  • Ground New Mexico red chile, mild, medium, or hot
  • Salt to taste
  • Cold water
  • Ground cumin, to taste
  • Oregano, to taste
  • Garlic, fresh or powdered, to taste
  • Cilantro, optional

Directions

  1. Heat a small amount of oil in a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron.
  2. Stir in flour, a dash of salt, and enough ground red chile to form a fairly thick, smooth paste.
  3. Cook until the mixture just begins to brown.
  4. Whisk in cold water a little at a time to prevent lumps. Continue cooking and adding water until the sauce reaches a medium-thick, gravy-like consistency.
  5. Season with cumin, oregano, garlic, and optional cilantro. Add more ground chile gradually until the flavor and heat suit you.
  6. Use the sauce for enchiladas, burritos, taquitos, chile burgers, beans, or other dishes.