Chile de Árbol Hot Sauce

Adapted from Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico, by Rick Bayless 1 ½ Tbsp. sesame seeds 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 scant teaspoon salt 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped ¾ cup apple cider vinegar 2 Tbsp. shelled raw pumpkin seeds 1 ¼ oz. (about 50-60 mixed-size) dried chiles de árbol ¼ tsp. cumin seeds (or a generous ¼ tsp. ground) 1/8 tsp. ground allspice A big pinch of ground cloves Water Place a shallow pan or skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sesame seeds and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, for several minutes, until they turn golden. While the sesame seeds toast, put the oregano, salt, garlic, and vinegar in the blender. When the sesame seeds are ready, scrape them in as well. Return the pan to the stove, turn the heat up to medium, and add the pumpkin seeds. When the first one pops, stir frequently for a few minutes, until all are golden and have popped up into a rounded shape. Add them to the blender. While the pumpkin seeds warm and toast, start prepping the chiles. [now is the time to put on some rubber gloves!] Pull off their stems; then gently roll them between your thumb and fingers, pressing gently to loosen the seeds inside. Break them in half, shake out as many seeds as possible, and add them to the blender. In a mortar or spice grinder, pulverize the cumin, allspice, and cloves. Add them to the blender. Blend for several minutes, until the mixture is orange-red, a bright brick color, and feels quite smooth when a drop is rubbed between your fingers. Strain the sauce through a medium-mesh sieve, stirring and pressing on the solids with a spoon. There will be a fair amount of chile seeds, skins, sesame hulls, and other debris left in the sieve - discard. The strained sauce will be somewhat thick and creamy. You can leave it as is, or you can add some water to thin it (3/4 cup). Whatever you choose to do, pour the sauce into a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid, and refrigerate it for 24 hours before serving. The sauce keeps indefinitely refrigerated.