🌶️ Salsa Macha

A rich, nutty, and spicy Mexican chili oil from Veracruz, perfect for drizzling over tacos, grilled meats, or as a dip for tortilla chips.

Ingredients

1½ cups olive oil
2 ounces (about ½ cup) peeled garlic cloves
2 ounces (about ½ cup) raw peanuts
2 ounces dried chiles, stemmed, seeded, and cut into roughly ½-inch pieces (start with guajillo and/or cascabel chiles with a few arbol chiles)
2 or 3 tablespoons untoasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons vinegar (balsamic preferred)
Salt, to taste

Heat the Oil:
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium to medium-low heat.
Cook Garlic and Peanuts:
Add the peeled garlic cloves and raw peanuts to the oil.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden brown and the peanuts are lightly toasted, about 5–7 minutes.
Add Chiles and Sesame Seeds:
Add the chopped dried chiles and untoasted sesame seeds to the oil.
Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the chiles are fragrant and slightly darkened, about 2–3 minutes.
Add Vinegar and Season:
Remove the saucepan from heat.
Stir in the vinegar and salt to taste.
Let the salsa cool to room temperature.
Store and Serve:
Transfer the salsa to a clean jar or container.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Serve with tacos, grilled meats, or as a dip for tortilla chips.