Ancho chilis are known for a low key and fruity plum flavour, it’s name means wide in Spanish. 

When fresh, they are known as Poblanos peppers which are a closely-related variety to Mulato peppers. 

On the heat scale, it’s on the lower end. More mild than Pasilla, Guajillo, Chipotle and Arbol.

It’s a fantastic addition to a Tortilla Soup!

To maximize flavour, it is recommended that you rehydrate them or grind them. 

Steps to rehydrate:

1. Start by searing them on a pan
2. Remove the stem and the seeds
3. Place in boiling water until the texture is soft

Extra tip: add some onions to the water, then transfer directly to the blender along with some tomatoes and a splash of the same water. This is the base ingredient for many delicious sauces! 

Steps to grind:

1. Remove the stems and most of the seeds
   
2. Cut into smaller pieces
3. Grind using a coffee grinder

Extra tip: We don’t recommend using the same coffee grinder for coffee later! Unless you like really HOT coffee 

Heat lovers: if spice is your priority, we actually recommend leaving the seeds and only removing the stems. In that case, rehydrating the chilis is a better alternative over grinding them because the process of searing them on the pan will bring out the spice.

Our mission at Sombrero is to offer you the rich flavours from Latin America with Canadian standards of quality. Share your experience with us on Instagram @sombrero_latin_flavors