Recado de Pepian Indio (Guatemalan Pepian Indio Sauce)

Description

Pepian is among the 4 national dishes of Guatemala. Pepian is hot, hearty, simple, yet complex. In Guatemala, pepian has as many variations as there are cooks. Here is my recipe for a simpler version of this sauce. Serve with white rice.

Ingredients

  • 6 tomatoes
  • 8 fresh tomatillos, husks removed
  • 1 onion, peeled
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons hulled pumpkin seeds
  • 1 thick slice of French baguette
  • 4 sprigs fresh cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 black peppercorns
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • ΒΌ cup olive oil
  • 1 chayote, cut into 8 pieces
  • 4 potatoes, thickly sliced
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels
  • 3 cups chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; place tomatoes
  2. tomatillos
  3. onion
  4. and garlic into the hot skillet and stir until vegetables are lightly charred
  5. about 20 minutes. Remove vegetables from skillet; stir sesame and pumpkin seeds into the hot skillet
  6. stirring until seeds are lightly toasted
  7. 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
  8. Toast baguette slice in a toaster. Place baguette slice
  9. tomatoes
  10. onion
  11. garlic
  12. sesame seeds
  13. cilantro
  14. salt
  15. and black peppercorns into a blender; pulse several times to chop
  16. then blend the mixture until smooth. Pour 3 cups chicken broth into blender and puree again.
  17. Strain blended sauce through a sieve and pour into a large saucepan; stir olive oil into sauce. Place over medium-high heat
  18. bring to a boil
  19. and cook for 3 minutes. Stir chayote
  20. potatoes
  21. and corn into sauce; stir in 3 cups chicken broth. Bring back to a boil
  22. reduce heat to low
  23. and simmer until chayote and potatoes are tender
  24. about 20 minutes.

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 50 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Servings: 6

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