Camarones En Mole Amarillo Recipe

Toast chiles

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the guajillo and pasilla/ancho chiles and toast for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not charred. Remove to a plate and let cool slightly.

Soak chiles

Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with 1 cup of very hot (not boiling) water. Let soak 15 minutes until softened. Reserve soaking liquid, then drain chiles, reserving about 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid for blending.

Fry aromatics and nuts

In a medium sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add whole garlic cloves and sliced plantain; fry, stirring, until the plantain is golden and softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer onion, garlic, and plantain to a blender. In the same pan add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and add torn bread pieces; fry until golden and crisp, about 1–2 minutes. Add peanuts, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds; toast briefly about 1 minute until fragrant. Transfer toasted bread and nuts to the blender.

Blend mole

Add soaked chiles (stems removed), toasted aromatics, bread, nuts and seeds to the blender. Add ground cumin, ground coriander, oregano, turmeric, cinnamon, brown sugar, reserved chile soaking liquid (start with 1/4 cup), and 1/2 cup of broth. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 1–2 minutes, scraping down sides. If the mixture is too thick, add more broth or soaking liquid in 2-tablespoon increments to reach a silky, pourable sauce consistency.

Simmer and season

Pour blended sauce into a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Simmer 8–10 minutes to marry flavors and cook raw taste out. Add remaining broth as needed to maintain a saucy consistency (target about 1 to 1 1/4 cups finished sauce). Stir in lime juice, salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust sweetness or salt (add up to 1 additional teaspoon brown sugar or salt as needed). Keep warm on low.

Prepare prawns

Pat prawns dry with paper towels. Season lightly with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Let sit 5 minutes while the sauce finishes simmering.

Sear prawns

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter. When shimmering, add half the prawns in a single layer (do not crowd). Sear 1.5–2 minutes per side until just opaque and pink. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining tablespoon of oil/butter and remaining prawns. Do not overcook.

Aromatize

After removing the second batch of prawns, reduce heat to medium. Add the minced garlic to the pan and sauté 20–30 seconds until fragrant (do not brown).

Combine prawns and mole

Pour 3/4 to 1 cup of the warm mole amarillo sauce into the skillet with the garlic and bring to a gentle simmer. Return all the seared prawns to the pan and toss gently to coat and warm through, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a pinch more salt or a squeeze of lime if desired.

Plate and garnish

Transfer prawns and mole to a warm serving platter or individual plates. Spoon extra sauce over the prawns. Garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.