Pipián Rojo (Red Pumpkin Seed Mole Sauce)

• 150 g Pumpkin seeds
• 15 g Sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp Sunflower oil
• 1 medium White onion
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 500 g Tomato, ripe
• 2 tsp Guajillo chili powder
• 2 tsp Ancho chili powder
• ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp Ground cloves
• 1 ½ tsp Fine sea salt
• 600 ml Chicken stock

1. Set a frying pan over medium heat. Toast the pumpkin seeds, stirring often, for 4 to 6 minutes until they start to pop and smell nutty; tip into a bowl. Toast the sesame seeds in the same pan for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, then add to the bowl.
2. Add the sunflower oil to the pan and return to medium heat. Roughly chop the onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, just until fragrant.
3. Roughly chop the tomatoes and add them to the pan with the guajillo chilli powder, ancho chilli powder, cinnamon, cloves and 1 tsp of the salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes collapse and the mixture looks jammy. Take off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes so it blends safely.
4. Tip the tomato mixture into a blender and add the toasted pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds. Pour in about half the chicken stock and blend until very smooth, scraping down as needed. If it seems too thick to blend, add a splash more stock to keep it moving.
5. Pour the blended sauce into a saucepan and stir in the remaining chicken stock. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, then cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until thick and glossy and it coats the back of a spoon. Taste and season with the remaining salt, then serve warm as a rich mole-style sauce.

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