Ancho Chilli Gravy

A lovely mild chilli gravy that is delicious for dipping chips (French fries) or pieces of roast chicken into. This is from a cookbook I bought in California, so the measurements are in cups. Two Christmases ago I was given a set of measuring cups that look like English teacups. I’m using them here.

2 Ancho chillies

½ cup warm chicken stock

¼ cup shortening or lard

1 onion minced

4 cloves garlic minced

¼ cup flour

1tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1tsp ground cumin

1/2tsp oregano

1tbsp chilli powder

1 ½ cups beef stock

This will be really nice with rice. I’m using Knorr stock pots for the beef stock, though my local butcher occasionally offers bones for free. The sign over the bowl with the bones says “No chop chop!”

The boy can cope with this as a dipping sauce for chicken or lamb kebabs’ His pile of rice can be nudged towards this.

Ancho chillies are broad and relatively mild (They are a dried Poblano with the flavour of tobacco and dried fruit. I get mine from the Cool Chile Company at Borough Market). Tear them into pieces and discard the stem. Put in a food processor with the stock and allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Buena Vista Social Club would not be unforgivable on the CD player. After 10 mins, blend until smooth.

Melt the lard in a saucepan and cook the onions and garlic until transparent. Add the flour and stir until it is golden brown. Maybe 5 minutes or so.

Add the salt, pepper, cumin, oregano and chilli, along with the ancho chilli puree and beef stock. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or more, until thickened. It needs to be really thick. He loves the chicken gravy from KFC, so you know what you’re competing with,

I had Tomato gravy with rice in Malawi, and I think this is today’s new world version. If you can get it the right thickness he will buy into it.