Pozole

Hominy soup or stew from south-central Mexico

Pozole is a truly Mexican dish, typical of localities in the Mexican states of Jalisco, Michoacan, Mexico, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Morelos in particular but can also found in other areas of Mexico. Its main ingredient is hominy, a dried, white corn that is soaked and cooked in lime or lye water to remove the hulls — a process called nixtamalization. The soup base is usually pork and chicken broth, with either or both meats thrown in to taste, and vegetarian versions also exist using mushrooms or other fungi in place of meat.

Pozole from Guerrero

The modern Spanish term pozole derives from the Nahuatl word for this Aztec hominy corn soup, potzolli.  In many areas, pozole is traditionally eaten on Thursdays. Cooking pozole can be a lengthy process, which may be a reason for the one-day-a-week tradition, but surprisingly the actual process of making pozole is not terribly complicated.

There are several variations of pozole: green pozole is made with the addition of a green tomatillo and chile sauce; red pozole is made with the addition of red chile (e.g. guajillo)  sauce; white pozole is generally the plain meat and corn broth without any sauce added. Pozole is traditionally served in red clay bowls, and is served with a number of ingredients which are added by each consumer to their own bowls at the table and according to their own tastes. These extras include chicharron (fried pork rinds), oregano, red chile piquin powder, sliced or diced serrano or jalapeno chiles, chopped onion, avocado slices, lime juice, sliced radishes, fresh white cheese and chopped lettuce.

A Recipe for Pozole

1/2 lb. pork shank
1/2 lb. spare ribs
1 chicken, cut into pieces
1 pigs foot
1/2 onion
1 tsp. oregano
1 quarts water
salt
2 to 3 cups hominy
2 or more guajillo chiles, soaked overnight in water

Cut meat into pieces. Simmer meat and chicken with onion, oregano and salt. Skim as necessary. When meat is half-cooked, add hominy and chiles. Cook over medium to low flame until hominy is tender and begins to pop open. Add water if necessary. Serve in earthenware bowls with side dishes of powdered oregano, sliced limes, red chile powder, avocado slices, chopped lettuce and fried pork rinds.

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