Ingredients
Chilli
- 200 gcacho de cabra chillies, ripe and red
Seasoning
- 2 tbspcoriander seed
- 1 tbspcoarse salt
Optional
- 1 tsptoasted cumin seed
- 1 tbsptoasted sesame or toasted flour
Equipment
- a smoker, a covered barbecue, or a stovetop smoking pan
- hardwood chips
Directions
- Hang them or lay them on racks somewhere airy, and turn them so they dry evenly. Now smoke them cold or barely warm, over hardwood, for several hours.
- Keep the temperature low, well under 60°C (140°F). This is smoking, not cooking, and heat drives off the aromatic oils you are trying to keep. Toast the coriander seed in a dry pan for a minute until fragrant, then let it cool.
- Take the stems off the smoked chillies. Decide about the seeds: leaving them in makes it hotter, and taking them out gives the milder merkén most households use.
- Grind the chillies with the salt and toasted coriander seed to a coarse powder. Grind it coarse rather than fine. Merkén should have visible flakes and grit, and a fine dust loses both the look and the texture.
- Work in short bursts if using a grinder, so the friction does not heat the powder and dull the aroma.
- Sieve out any large pieces of skin and regrind them. Store it in a sealed jar away from light, where it keeps its aroma for a few months.
- Dust it over bread with butter, over fried eggs, over grilled fish, into pebre, or onto anything at the table.
Technique
- Merkén natural is chilli, salt and coriander seed only; merkén especial adds toasted cumin.
- Ready-made merkén is widely sold and buying it is entirely reasonable given the smoking involved.
- It is only mildly hot by international standards, and the flavour is the point rather than the heat.
Substitutions
- Smoked chipotle or smoked paprika with toasted coriander seed, which gets you close in character.
- Any long red chilli in place of cacho de cabra.
Variations
- Merkén especial, with cumin.
- Ground finer, for dusting.
- Blended into pebre or into olive oil as a table sauce.
History
A Mapuche seasoning: the chillies are sun-dried, smoked over a fire and ground, then dusted over bread, eggs and fish.
Frequently asked questions
What is Merkén?
Merkén is a sauce & condiment from Chile: smoked ground cacho de cabra chilli with toasted coriander seed and salt. A Mapuche seasoning: the chillies are sun-dried, smoked over a fire and ground, then dusted over bread, eggs and fish.
How long does Merkén take to make?
Merkén takes 20 min plus drying and smoking of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes about 150 g. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Merkén?
Yes, within limits. Smoked chipotle or smoked paprika with toasted coriander seed, which gets you close in character. Any long red chilli in place of cacho de cabra.
What is the most important thing to get right in Merkén?
Grind the chillies with the salt and toasted coriander seed to a coarse powder. Grind it coarse rather than fine. Merkén should have visible flakes and grit, and a fine dust loses both the look and the texture.
