Pozole

Pozole is a traditional pre-Columbian soup or stew from Mexico. It was mentioned in Fray Bernardino de Sahagún's "General History of the Things of New Spain" circa 1500 C.E.. It is made from nixtamalized cacahuazintle corn, with meat, usually pork, chicken, turkey, pork rinds, sardine, chili pepper, and other seasonings and garnish. Vegetarian and vegan versions also exist.

After colonization by the Spaniards, the ingredients of pozole changed, but the staple corn remained. It is a typical dish in various states such as Sinaloa, Michoacán, Guerrero, Jalisco, Morelos, México and Distrito Federal. Pozole is often served in Mexican restaurants in the American Southwest.

Ingredients

1 kg pork for stewing (stew meat, shoulder or butt cut into chunks)

3 cloves garlic

3 dried red New Mexico chiles or other large, somewhat mild, dried red chiles with stems and seeds removed

2 tablespoons salt plus more to taste

6 cups cooked hominy (canned works fine)

1 tablespoons dried Mexican oregano

Elaboration

Put pork in a large pot and cover with cool water. Add garlic, chiles, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer, cover, and cook until pork is fork tender, about 90 minutes.

Add cooked or canned and drained hominy and and oregano. Continue cooking until flavors blend and pork is very tender, another hour. Add additional water to keep ingredients covered as necessary, returning mixture to a boil and reducing back down to a simmer as necessary.

Taste broth and add more salt if necessary. Serve pozole in deep bowls and let everyone top with minced cilantro, chopped green onions, shredded radish, or shredded cabbage as they like.