{"id":4572,"date":"2011-09-09T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-09-09T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.patismexicantable.com\/2011\/09\/you_know_you_want_it_green_pozole\/"},"modified":"2021-03-19T17:14:15","modified_gmt":"2021-03-19T21:14:15","slug":"you_know_you_want_it_green_pozole","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/patijinich.com\/pati_2020\/you_know_you_want_it_green_pozole\/","title":{"rendered":"Pozole: Try It Green!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Red pozole, or Pozole Rojo<\/i>, Jalisco style, has been my favorite pozole of all time. It is bold and gorgeous in every possible way. I am so attached to it, we even served it at our wedding.<\/p>\n

For decades now, I’ve refused to replace it with another… And then, I tried a unique green version, Pozole Verde<\/i>, Guerrero<\/a> style. It has not surpassed my Pozole Rojo<\/i>, but it is attempting to tie with it at my table. And that is a lot to say.<\/p>\n

Treasured all around Mexico, pozole has many variations, mainly green, red and white. Each distinct and beautiful, and coincidentally, represent the colors of the Mexican flag. Since September is the month of Mexican independence and The Day of El Grito is just around the corner, there is no excuse not to find an excuse to celebrate! And in my mental Mexican dictionary, pozole equals celebration.<\/p>\n

Pozole has been made for centuries, and according to Fray Bernardino de Sahag\u00fan, a Spanish missionary, Moctezuma<\/a> -greatest Aztec Emperor of all times-, would honor the God of the Sun by eating and serving it. I don’t know though, what color it was!<\/p>\n

What makes a pozole red or green is the seasoning sauce added to the stew. If there is no sauce, it is a white pozole. Though there are many kinds of green pozole, they all use green ingredients, and this one has: tomatillos<\/a>,\u00a0 epazote<\/a> (or cilantro<\/a> if you can’t find it), pumpkin seeds<\/a> and jalape\u00f1os<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Making that green seasoning sauce is simple. Tomatillos, garlic and chile simmer in water until the color of the tomatillos changes from bright, happy and loud to a mellow green. The texture goes from firm, to very mushy, but not coming apart.<\/div>\n

The toasted pumpkin seeds are ground, they are pureed with that cooked tomatillo mix and white onion. The pumpkin seeds give the sauce a nutty, velvety base. Then the sauce is taken a step further and simmered until it is seasoned, thickened and its flavors have concentrated. It must be powerful, as it will dilute in the pozole. See? The spoon on the left has the green sauce before it is seasoned.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0What is common about any pozole is not only the many garnishes that dress it at the end, but also the very large corn known here as hominy, and in Mexico as ma\u00ed\u00adz cacahuacintle<\/i>,<\/a> also known as ma\u00ed\u00adz mote and giant corn. It gives pozole its signature mealy bite.<\/div>\n

Cooking hominy is simple, but takes a while, so it is available already cooked in cans or refrigerated bags if you do not feel like preparing it. This is how it looks when you buy it at the stores before cooking.<\/p>\n

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But I love to cook it at home. It is as simple as throwing it in a pot, covering it in water and waiting for it to “bloom”.\u00a0 Literally, when it opens up at the top, you know it’s ready.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Just like when cooking beans, add salt after they are cooked, or they will toughen up.Then in a big pot, combine the cooked hominy, the shredded chicken that was simmered in a simple broth (complete recipe below) as much green pozole sauce as you want, and a leafy stem of epazote, which will have anywhere from 5 to 10 leaves. If you don’t find epazote, add like 5 sprigs of cilantro. I personally add all the sauce. Then, you want to let all the ingredients cook together for about 20 minutes.
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\nOnce it is ready: dress it up! Radishes, lettuce, white onion, ground dried chile, oregano and quartered limes to squeeze juice on top, are placed at the table for you to choose. Tostadas to be munched on the side. And, in particular for the green pozole, Mexican avocado<\/a>\u00a0and chicharrones (crispy pork rind), are often too, which gives it an extra crunch. If you find some, add it on!<\/div>\n
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Whatever you choose, do squeeze fresh lime juice onto it.<\/div>\n
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Pozole is so popular in Mexico that there are pozoler\u00ed\u00adas<\/i>, restaurants that only serve pozole. That would be like a restaurant in the US that only served chicken noodle soup! How is that possible? Take a bite into this one-stop meal. You’ll see.<\/div>\n
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P.S. Pozole tastes even better reheated. Great excuse for making the soup ahead of time. Also, watch out for this recipe: It serves a hungry party of 12.<\/div>\n
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Green Pozole<\/h2>\n
Pozole Verde<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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