Re: [CH] Preparing pods for molcajete?

Rich McCormack (macknet@cts.com)
Mon, 30 Mar 1998 07:20:48 -0800

Lancer7676 wrote:
> 
> I am not sure what a Molcajete is, ...

Think of it as a mortar made out of a fairly porous (as opposed to glassy) 
basalt.  The pestle, made out of the same material, is called a tejolote.

> ... but I grind my peppers in a food processer.

I use a dedicated (I like chiles in my food, but not in my...) coffee 
grinder.  The problem I've found with grinding in a food processor is
the grinding time required...too long a grinding and the end product
can come out a bit scorched.  Whatever one uses for a blade, it should
be pulsed with a brief period (5-10 seconds) between each pulse to allow 
the blades to cool.

> If the air has been really humid, the dried peppers might pick up enough
> moisture to be a little soft.  Wonder if a new turn in the dehydrator might
> crisp them up for grinding?

Yeah, I'm sure that'd work...but I usually throw 'em on a hot comal to 
slightly char (seems like it might be the same as scorching with the hot 
blades of a grinder, but it's not if done carefully) and then let 'em 
rest before grinding.  At first they plump up and soften (apparently from 
internal moisture, I'm unsure of the chemistry involved here) but then 
become dry enough to grind.  And the smell of the chiles on the hot comal 
that waft thru the kitchen...ahhhh, I love it.  Reminds me of the smells 
from the chile processing plant up wind from the high school I used to 
attend...a few years ago.  

-- 
Rich McCormack (Poway, CA) macknet@cts.com

Who is Rich McCormack?  Find out at:
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