Chintextle

Chintextle (Oaxacan Chile-Garlic Spread)

A smoky, tangy Oaxacan spread built on garlic, costeño chiles and vinegar. Traditionally spread on crusty bread or used as a salsa for grilled meats and tamales.

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Total

40 min

Serves

Makes about 350 g (12 oz), serves 6 to 8

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •60 g (2 oz (about 10)) guajillo or costeño chiles, dried, costaño preferred for authentic flavor; stems and seeds removed
• •40 g (1¾ oz (about 8 cloves)) garlic cloves, peeled, garlic is the star — use generously
• •10 g (2 tsp) Mexican oregano
• •5 g (1 tsp) cumin seeds, toasted and freshly ground if possible
• •60 ml (¼ cup) white vinegar, piloncillo vinegar or apple cider vinegar also traditional
• •300 ml (1¼ cups) water or reserved chile infusion
• •15 g (1 Tbsp) avocado or vegetable oil, optional — some versions leave it oil-free
• •3 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt, adjust to taste
• •1 g black pepper, freshly ground

Steps

1. 1 Toast the chiles: using a comal or dry skillet over medium heat, press the dried chile halves flat and toast them 10 to 20 seconds per side until fragrant and slightly puffed. Do not burn — bitterness sets in quickly. Remove and set aside.
2. 2 Rehydrate: place the toasted chiles in a small saucepan, cover with 300 ml (1¼ cups) water, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the vinegar, and let steep 5 more minutes. Reserve the soaking liquid.
3. 3 Toast the aromatics: in the same dry skillet, toast the oregano and cumin seeds 20 to 30 seconds until aromatic. Grind the cumin coarsely.
4. 4 Blend: combine the drained chiles, garlic cloves, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, and 120 ml (½ cup) of the chile soaking liquid in a blender. Blend to a coarse paste, adding more soaking liquid as needed.
5. 5 Cook briefly (optional but traditional): heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium, add the paste, and fry 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, to deepen the flavor. Skip for a raw-style chintextle.
6. 6 Adjust consistency and seasoning: loosen with reserved chile liquid or a splash of vinegar to a thick, spoonable spread. Taste and correct salt and tang.
7. 7 Cool, then store in a sterilized jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Serve at room temperature spread on bolillo or with grilled meats and chiles rellenos.