For years I, like most people, bought my chile powder pre-mixed at the store. But I was never really happy with it because most such commercial powders contain things like cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and even sugar. It wasn't that I didn't want cumin in my chili, I did, but I preferred to control the amount. I also preferred fresh onions and garlic to powdered so I started my own chile powder. This recipe is fairly mild (I can always kick up the heat with some cayenne) and has a nice smoky flavor from the Chipotle chilies.* (Larger image.) Makes 1/4 - 1/2 cup.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 Ancho chiles
- 3 Pasillo chiles
- 2 Chipotle chiles
Preparation:
1. Stem chiles and break them up into small pieces.
2. Process them in one or two batches in a spice mill, coffee grinder, or small food processor.
*Note 1: The actual level of heat and quantity will vary from batch to batch because of differences in the peppers.
Note 2: The names of these chiles all refer to the dried forms. A chipotle is a dried jalapeno, an ancho is a dried poblano, and a pasillo is a dried chile negro.
