Question
Salsa-Guessers needed! Based on this picture alone, any idea what the ingredients are?
This salsa comes from one of the oldest restaurants in Wichita, Kansas, a wonderful spot called "El Mexico". It is, without a doubt, the best tasting mild salsa I've ever come across, and the flavor has remained relatively unchanged for 30+ years. The problem is, I moved decades ago, and travel a lot for work, yet I have not been able to find a similar tasting salsa anywhere! Every time I make it back to Wichita, I make sure to stop by, but given that El Mexico isn't a chain, I'm terrified it will go out-of-business before I can find a similar tasting version at another restaurant, or learn the ingredients to create a close-enough tasting version at home (ideal). For what it's worth, their hot salsa is a very close second to their mild! Any guesses are welcome!
I bet this is close to the salsa we have here in Phoenix. A few regional, old school, restaurants serve it.
Curious if this is close:
In about two cups water
10 Japonese peppers
4 chili arbols
8 chilitepin
2 gujillas
1/4 cup Mexican oregano
Tablespoon garlic powder
Tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoons cumin
Teaspoon chicken bouillon
Add to a small sauce pan. Bring to boil reduce to let steep for 20 minutes
Add to blender, blend until smooth couple minutes
Add one can crushed cento tomatoes and one can original rotel and blend until smooth. Add tablespoon to one and a half tablespoon salt. Two tablespoons spoons oregano, table spoon chicken bouillon. Taste may need minor adjustments. Should be oregano forward, cumin, then chili minor though deep, with touch of garlic onion flavors with a smoothness from chicken bouillon. No bitterness.
I bet this is close to the salsa we have here in Phoenix. At a few regional old school restaurants they serve it.
Curious if this is similar:
In about two cups water 10 Japonese peppers 4 chili arbols 8 chilitepin 2 gujillas 1/4 cup Mexican oregano Tablespoon garlic powder Tablespoon onion powder 2 tablespoons cumin Teaspoon chicken bouillon Add to a small sauce pan. Bring to boil reduce to let steep for 20 minutes Add to blender, blend until smooth couple minutes
Add one can crushed cento tomatoes and one can original rotel and blend until smooth. Add tablespoon to one and a half tablespoon salt. Two tablespoons spoons oregano, table spoon chicken bouillon. Taste may need minor adjustments. Should be oregano forward, cumin, then chili minor though deep, with touch of garlic onion flavors with a smoothness from chicken bouillon. No bitterness.
Born and raise in AZ and have always loved this style. Few questions.
In about two cups water 10 Japonese peppers 4 chili arbols 8 chilitepin 2 gujillas 1/4 cup Mexican oregano Tablespoon garlic powder Tablespoon onion powder 2 tablespoons cumin Teaspoon chicken bouillon Add to a small sauce pan. Bring to boil reduce to let steep for 20 minutes Add to blender, blend until smooth couple minutes
Are you mixing all that together in the water? the oregano and everything and then blending it all with the same water?
Add one can crushed cento tomatoes and one can original rotel and blend until smooth. Add tablespoon to one and a half tablespoon salt. Two tablespoons spoons oregano, table spoon chicken bouillon. Taste may need minor adjustments. Should be oregano forward, cumin, then chili minor though deep, with touch of garlic onion flavors with a smoothness from chicken bouillon. No bitterness.
I see we are adding oregano again. Mexican oregano I am guessing? You have this after the second blend. Is this not being blended in?
Sorry for this being so truncated and brief. It was a write up I sent to my mom. And I can see now, not very clearly written. Also it was like 2:30 last night when I posted. 😊 Happy to clarify. Yes, start with steeping the dried chilies and spices in your pan (correct Mexican Oregano, Knorr Chicken Bouillon powder). Once done steeping, pour it all, (water, chili, spices) into a blender (I use a Vitamix) and blend until smooth. This is the chili, spice base. It’s like the concentrate. It may take a minute or two to blend smooth; you want the chilis completely blended down to a smooth mixture.
Then add the 24oz, can of the crushed Cento tomatoes and a 10 oz can of Rotel original. I will often add the salt and chicken bouillon at this point, blend to mix; taste to get the salt and bouillon right, adding the Mexican Oregano last, because you want visible bits in the finished product - it seems to help the oregano forward flavor profile without the risk of becoming bitter, too much oregano or over blending it will make it bitter. Ask me how I know. 😆 This is why I start with a base and then supplement at the end, leaves some room for error. Adjust to taste at this point. I will often dilute with water if the chili is a bit too strong, go slow you can over dilute and lose the deep chili flavor you want, start with a quarter cup at a time, mix, taste. Often times it will need more salt. It takes a lot of salt to get the correct flavor profile. Did I mention it needs salt. The chicken bouillon smooths the flavors and adds the umami (it has salt too so keep this in mind). The flavors should hit as, first oregano, second cumin, third chili, and then mild garlic onion on the back end again all very smooth. I have never measured these were guesstimates of what I think I use. This why the flavor profile is helpful as you can adjust to get the right ratios.
Play around with it to find the flavors you like. I hope this helps. This has been a process of love for 20 years because I was told it was a family secret recipe when I asked how to make it.
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u/West_West_313 2d ago
I just emailed them, I’ll update if they answer