Pozole is a hearty stew which is especially popular in central and southern Mexico - the perfect winter warm to share with family and friends and can be batch cooked and frozen.
The dish is traditionally made with shredded pork and a chilli broth with pork stock and hominy, a type of corn produced from dried maize kernels. Different types of pozole are eaten in Mexico including white pozole made with a clear broth, green pozole prepared with poblano chilli, tomatillo (green husk tomato), and coriander, and the most popular red pozole prepared with Mexican dried chillis.
The Mexican stew can be made with beef, pork, or chicken and you will even find vegan takes on this dish using mushrooms in Mexico. My one is made with pork and I was taught how to make this pozole recipe by my grandmother. Since moving to the UK, I've adapted the recipe to the available ingredients while staying true to the original.
INGREDIENTS:
- Hominy (you will find this at specialist shops or online)
- Pork knuckles or shoulder
- Dried guajillo chillis (you can buy these in specialist shops or online)
- Optional toppings to serve: chopped red onion, lettuce, radish, avocado, oregano, and extra dried guajillo chilli.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Bring a deep pan filled with water to the boil. Adds the corn because it takes the longest time to cook.
Once the corn has softened a little, add the pork shoulder or knuckle, which needs to be cooked slowly over a low heat for a long time to bring out the flavour of the fat.
Prepare some guajillo chillis: a commonly used dried chilli in Mexico.
Cut the chillis lengthways and remove the seeds so that the dish is not too hot.
Add the chillis to the pan and leave it to simmer for four or five hours (the longer the better) until the meat is tender.
Serve the soup in bowls and garnish with colourful toppings such as red onion, radish, lettuce, avocado, and oregano.
The stew can be served with toasted bread or tortillas to mop up the rich red sauce.
If you have your own Latin recipe to share, please let us know!
