Yes, I know there's umpteen variations of both. But if you look at the ingredients, they're basically the same, aren't they? All you do is chuck in a bit of chocolate into a curry and call it a mole. Now I admit I'm not a mole expert, but being British, I'm naturally a curry expert, and looking at mole recipes to me, they're obviously a curry rip off.
Is mole sauce just indian curry with added chocolate?
The two are not at all similar. Mole originated in central and south America. There are lots of different moles with a wide variety of flavor profiles. A few are:
Manchamantel- the color of this intensely red mole comes from tomatoes, ancho chiles, and the grease of chorizo, a type of sausage. This mole is unique because it features plantains and pineapple in its ingredients list.
Chichillo- a mole that begins with a homemade beef stock, chichillo is full of chiles that give it that signature spicy flavor. Usually dried chiles are used and they are rehydrated in the beef stock to allow for the most spiciness to come out.
Verde- pepitas, parsley, and green chiles give this mole its distinct color and herbaceous flavoring. The mole verde is spicy thanks to jalapenos. You may also find tomatillos in this mole, which contribute even more to the green coloring and the delicious flavor of this mole.
Negro- this mole may contain up to 36 ingredients and usually features a pig, turkey, or chicken head. This is a popular mole in America. You absolutely cannot forget about the dark chocolate or else it wouldn't be a N**** mole! The steps taken to make this dish are often involved and time consuming, meaning this cannot be made quickly or mindlessly. Expect to dedicate a whole day to recreating this mole.
Coloradito- a specialty mole served in Oaxaca, it is brick red in color and it is served over pork, beef, or chicken. It has mashed plantains in it as a thickener and it is often compared to the N**** mole.
just to add a bit to it... and the variety, I would mention the less known Xico mole, the mole Xiqueño, which comes from the region of Veracruz in Mexico (the coast by the Gulf) and their distinctive taste is that it will be an actually sweeter mole sauce... and that's the whole point of it (and I know of it because of the family origins from an ex of mine, which were from that region, lol)
and to quote a source...
" The mole de Xico or mole xiqueño is not as universally known outside of Mexico as the elegantly balanced mole poblano or as famous inside Mexico as the super-elaborate mole N**** oaxaqueño (named for their cities of origin in neighboring Puebla and Oaxaca). But it’s equally important in its own right.
Every cook in the town of Xico can point out something a little different about her or his mole xiqueño. The constants are these: The sauce must be sweet and almost marmalade-like, a rich concentrate containing a lot of nuts and seeds (preferably many kinds), a combination of dried and fresh fruits, corn tortillas and bread (usually both) for extra thickening, and a not-too-dominant medley of dried herbs and spices. It demands the flavor of good lard (this is not a case where oil would be a proper substitute). And for the right brown-black color you must use very dark chiles, generally mulatos and/or pasillas. "
and just to give it a look to the ingredients and how actually involved one has to be in the preparation, the steps, the stages, and the right mixing and balancing of each... so it doesn't taste like one of other ingredient, but it ends up tasting just like, mole... sweet mole in this case
------------------
-- For frying ¾ cup lard, preferably home-rendered, divided (approximate amount)
-- For the chiles ¾ pound mulato chiles or a combination of mulato and pasilla chiles about 40 chiles
-- For the nut-seed mixture ½ cup pine nuts 1 cup slivered almonds ½ cup pecan halves or pieces ¼ cup hulled pumpkin seeds ¼ cup sesame seeds ½ cup roasted peanuts ½ cup roasted skinned hazelnuts
-- For the fruit mixture 1¼ cups pitted prunes ½ cup dark raisins 3 crisp, tart-sweet apples (I use Granny Smith) peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch slices 1 ripe plantain peeled and cut into ½-inch slices
-- For the thickening 2 commercial corn tortillas cut into 1-inch strips 1 French roll cut into ½-inch slices, or 5-6 ½-inch slices of good French or Italian bread -- For the spice mixture 1 2-inch piece of canela ½ teaspoon aniseed ½ teaspoon dried Mexican or Mediterranean oregano crumbled 2 whole cloves ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
-- For the aromatics 1 large white onion unpeeled 2-3 large ripe tomatoes about 1 pound 8 cloves garlic unpeeled
-- To finish 1 3-ounce Mexican chocolate tablet grated 2 tablespoons grated piloncillo Mexican brown loaf sugar or dark brown sugar 3 teaspoons salt
-- To prepare for serving Chicken or pork stock as needed
I've only had moles at restaurants. I'd love to sample them the full variety!
My first introduction to the variety was at a supermarket in San Miguel de Allende. In their deli department there were multiple trays of mole cut into squares like fudge. They varied in color. I had no idea what the differences were.
if you ever land on Mexico again, and during the months of June to October... might be worth to check where the "Feria del Mole" is going to be organized that year...
it's a national festival, and you might be able to find every version of it, lol
I think last year had 300,000 people visiting at that town in Mexico City
Nope. Although it's quite hard to tell what makes a curry "curry". But mole don't have turmeric, ginger, garam masala, cardamoms and star anise but have different varieties of fresh and dried chilies mixed in it making it just different from Indian curry.
I guess what makes curry a curry is when it's just inspired by Indian curry and when they just decide to call it curry. Nigerian beef stew is pretty close to curry but it may not be indian influenced which is why. A lot of African dishes use variety of spices like India do.
They're not really similar at all, neither in taste nor texture. Also chili peppers (used in mole and curry) have origin in Central/South America and were first cultivated in Mexico, so if anything curry would be the rip off of mole rather than the other way around
Mole is a part of the traditional cuisine of the Oaxaca and Puebla regions of Mexico and is from a blend of dried chiles, spices, fruits, and seasonings. It is not a curry rip off.
Hey, I get where you're coming from, but let's dive into the delicious diversity of mole and Indian curry. Hanging out here on Girls Ask Guys, I love unraveling the mysteries of global cuisines for fellow foodies. Mole and Indian curry may share some basic spices, giving them a sort of distant culinary kinship. However, labeling mole as a chocolate-spiked curry might be oversimplifying the rich tapestry of flavors each brings to the table.
Mole, hailing from Mexico, is indeed famed for incorporating chocolate, but it's just one element in a complex blend that often includes various chilies, nuts, seeds, and even fruits. The chocolate used is typically dark and unsweetened, contributing a depth rather than sweetness.
On the other hand, Indian curries are a broad category themselves, with each region offering its own unique blend of spices, like turmeric, cumin, coriander, and many others. The use of dairy, coconut milk, or even tamarind adds to the diversity.
So, while it’s fun to draw comparisons, each has its own distinct history, ingredients, and flavor profiles. Trust me, as a culinary explorer who savors the intricacies of both Italian and Japanese kitchens, I find the differences between mole and curry as fascinating as their occasional overlaps! 🌶️🍫
Mexican home. There are different types of moles but I've never really had a spicy mole. The peppers are there in the recipe, but you don't really notice them in the final result. Other ingredients are used as well, and making mole is a bit of a complex thing, it usually takes a full day to make. We haven't made it ourselves though, just bought it.
Girl's Behavior 
Guy's Behavior 
Flirting 
Dating 
Relationships 
Fashion & Beauty 
Health & Fitness 
Marriage & Weddings 
Shopping & Gifts 
Technology & Internet 
Break Up & Divorce 
Education & Career 
Entertainment & Arts 
Family & Friends 
Food & Beverage 
Hobbies & Leisure 
Other 
Religion & Spirituality 
Society & Politics 
Sports 
Travel 
Trending & News 
