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Chiltomate — Roasted Tomato-Habanero

Chiltomate

Roasted Tomato-Habanero

Roma tomatoes and habanero are blistered together on a dry comal, then ground by hand in a molcajete to a rustic, chunky texture — the classic table sauce for Yucatecan panuchos and salbutes.

25 min
Serves 8
VeganSpicy
Focus

✦ Antes de Empezar

Before you cook

How spicy is chiltomate, and can I control the heat?

It's built around habanero, one of the hottest chiles in Mexican cooking, but the recipe calls for habanero 'to taste' — crush it in gradually while grinding so you can stop once the heat matches your preference.

Ingredientes· 5
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Salsa Base

  • 5 mediumRoma Tomatoesfully ripe, roasted and charred
  • 2 clovesGarliccharred and peeled
  • 1Fresh Habanero Chilecharred whole
  • 1 tspSalt
  • 2 tbspFresh Cilantrofinely chopped (optional)

Instrucciones

5 pasos
  1. Asa los ingredientes

    Roast the ingredients

    Roast the tomatoes, habaneros, garlic, and onion on a dry comal until deeply blistered and softened.

  2. Muele el ajo

    Mash the garlic

    Peel the garlic and mash it with salt in a molcajete.

  3. Añade habanero con cuidado

    Add habanero carefully

    Add habanero to taste and crush it carefully.

  4. Incorpora los tomates

    Add the tomatoes

    Add the tomatoes one at a time and grind to a rustic, chunky texture rather than a smooth purée.

  5. Termina y sirve

    Finish and serve

    Fold in the cilantro and optional sour-orange juice, then serve with grilled meats, eggs, panuchos, or salbutes.

✦ Herramientas Tradicionales ✦

Authentic Culinary Gear for this Recipe

Heritage Mexican cooking relies on dedicated craft tools to develop authentic blisters, toasts, and emulsified textures.

Authentic Molcajete

8" Volcanic Stone Molcajete

Carved from natural basalt stone; crushes garlic, chiles, and roasted tomatoes into silky emulsion.

Tortilla Craft

Cast Iron Tortilla Press (8")

Heavy calibrated leverage to press fresh heirloom masa dough into thin, supple rounds with zero sticking.

Heritage Pantry

Heirloom Masa & Dried Chiles

Single-origin Mexican dried chiles (Ancho, Guajillo, Pasilla) and heirloom nixtamalized corn masa.

✦ Recommended gear reflects genuine kitchen utility standards. Outbound links support our independent culinary archive.