Mole Poblano

also called mole · mole sauce · pollo en mole

The table

1 large(sliced)white onionfry 8 mintoast 1 minblend, sievesimmer 45 min
5 clovesgarlic
1/3 cup(35 g)sliced almonds
1/3 cup(50 g)raisins
2 Tbssesame seeds
2(50 g; torn up)corn tortillas
1/3 cup(75 g)lard
1 stick(broken up)Mexican cinnamon
4whole cloves
5(stemmed and seeded; or half ancho, half mulato)dried ancho chilestoast, soak 20 min
4(stemmed and seeded)dried pasilla chiles
4(225 g; husked)tomatilloschar 10 min
3 cups(700 mL)chicken stock
2 oz(55 g; chopped)Mexican chocolate
2 tspkosher salt
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.17 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1fry 8 min

2toast, soak 20 min

3char 10 min

4toast 1 min

goes in with what step 1 made

5blend, sieve

goes in with what steps 2, 3 and 4 made

6simmer 45 min

goes in with what step 5 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 1 hr 6 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
19 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 6 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. 10 min of that is counted as needing you only because the step never said otherwise. The recipe itself says 2 hr.

  1. toast, soak 20 min

    21 minwalk away(read off the step)from the start

  2. char 10 min

    10 minneeds you(assumed)from the start

  3. fry 8 min

    8 minneeds you(read off the step)from the start

  4. toast 1 min

    1 minneeds you(read off the step)8 min in

  5. blend, sieve

    not timed21 min in

  6. simmer 45 min

    45 minwalk away(read off the step)21 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time. The minutes are always the recipe’s own; a dashed edge means we worked out from the step whether you have to be there, and a dotted one means nothing was said, so we assumed you are standing over it.

You'll need comal · sieve

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Mole Poblano
>> category: Sauces & Gravies
>> tags: chiles, chocolate, mexican, chicken, stovetop
>> counters: Taquería
>> aka: mole, mole sauce, pollo en mole
>> pairs-with: corn-tortillas, mexican-red-rice
>> servings: 8
>> time: 2 hr
>> step.1: toast, soak 20 min
>> step.2: char 10 min
>> step.3: fry 8 min
>> step.4: toast 1 min
>> step.5: blend, sieve
>> step.6: simmer 45 min

Toast @dried ancho chiles{5}(stemmed and seeded; or half ancho, half mulato) and @dried pasilla chiles{4}(stemmed and seeded) in a dry #comal{} for ~{1%min} a side, then soak in hot water for ~{20%min}.

Char @tomatillos{4}(225 g; husked) on a dry #comal{} for ~{10%min}, turning until blackened in spots and slumped.

Fry @white onion{1%large}(sliced), @garlic{5%cloves}, @sliced almonds{1/3%cup}(35 g), @raisins{1/3%cup}(50 g), @sesame seeds{2%Tbs}, and @corn tortillas{2}(50 g; torn up) in @lard{1/3%cup}(75 g) over medium heat for ~{8%min}, until golden.

Toast @Mexican cinnamon{1%stick}(broken up) and @whole cloves{4} in @&(~1)nut mixture{} for ~{1%min}.

Blend @&(~4)soaked chiles{} with @&(~3)charred tomatillos{}, @&(~1)nut mixture{}, and @chicken stock{3%cups}(700 mL) until completely smooth, then push through a #sieve{}.

Simmer @&(~1)purée{} with @Mexican chocolate{2%oz}(55 g; chopped) and @kosher salt{2%tsp} for ~{45%min}, stirring often.