How to Toast Dried Chiles

Published on Thursday, February 5, 2009, by CHOW Video Team / Edit Post

How to Toast Dried Chiles

Chef Deborah Schneider, author of ¡Baja! Cooking on the Edge, says that dried chiles need to be toasted before using them in recipes like her ancho chile salsa. (If you’re cooking fresh peppers, check out this easy roasting method.) See more of Schneider’s basic Mexican cooking tips: how to core a pepper, how to make a quick salsa, how to core a tomato, a guide to Mexican dried chiles, and how to pit an avocado.

CHOW Tips are the shared wisdom of our community. If you’ve figured out some piece of food, drink, or cooking wisdom that you’d like to share on video (and you can be in San Francisco), email Meredith Arthur and tell us what you’ve got in mind.

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  • Hmm. Sometimes you want to rehydrate them, not toast them. Other times the toasting takes place during cooking, such as in a stir fry.

    So, while the technique shown is good, I think that the statement that "all chiles need to be toasted" is somewhat overstating the case.

  • Hmmm, I prefer a different way that I've seen elsewhere (Rick Bayless?).
    - Cut the stem end off and slit down one side so you can flatten out the chile. Empty out the seeds; removing veins is optional.
    - Press the chile skin onto a hot skillet with a spatula, flipping occasionally.
    - When the *inside* changes color (which should be pretty quickly) you are Done.

    Now, you can cut the chile into...+READ

    Hmmm, I prefer a different way that I've seen elsewhere (Rick Bayless?).
    - Cut the stem end off and slit down one side so you can flatten out the chile. Empty out the seeds; removing veins is optional.
    - Press the chile skin onto a hot skillet with a spatula, flipping occasionally.
    - When the *inside* changes color (which should be pretty quickly) you are Done.

    Now, you can cut the chile into shreds with your Kitchen Shears before soaking, blending and straining.
    Finally, wash your hands with liquid soap.-COLLAPSE

  • Hope she doesn't put rub her eyes after doing that.