Suggested uses

Basic prep

Storage & handling

Store in a dry, cool place.

Ingredients

Pumpkin seeds, Sesame seeds, Onion, New Mexico hatch chile powder, Salt, Starch, Tomatillo powder, Garlic, Poblano chile powder, Apple cider vinegar powder (Maltodextrin, apple cider vinegar, modified food starch), Cumin, Spinach powder, Cilantro, Oregano. Contains: Sesame.

Mole is a traditional Mexican sauce typically made with chiles, seeds, and sometimes nuts. Pipian is the Spanish word for “pumpkin seed,” a key element in this bright, aromatic Mole Verde Sauce Starter brimming with flavor thanks to a blend of mild green chiles, herbs, spices, and nutty ground hemp seeds. Mole Verde is a favorite in the city of Puebla, in east-central Mexico, where it is often served with chicken.

The word mole is thought to have come from the Nahuatl word “mulli” which roughly translates to “mix.” According to legend, mole was invented in the 16th century by a nun in the city of Puebla, to honor a visiting archbishop. Realizing that they had nothing to serve him, the nuns improvised by combining small quantities of whatever was in the convent kitchen: chocolate, chili peppers, spices, day-old bread, and nuts. The archbishop loved it, and the rest was history.

Today we know that pre-Hispanic peoples throughout Latin America prepared dishes which called for the same ingredients found in today’s moles. The use of cacao in drinks by the Aztecs and Mayans is well-documented, as is the use of corn dough, ground seeds, and chiles. Other elements, like the use of nuts or bread as a thickening agent, were common in medieval Spanish cuisine. Like many of Mexico’s most beloved dishes, mole is a symbol of Mexico’s mixed European and indigenous heritage.