Chamoy

Description: PREP TIME INCLUDES 30 minutes of hydration time. On a recent trip back to the U.S., my brothers introduced me to a yummy drink concoction called a Chamango. I was instantly hooked, but alas I knew that once back in Costa Rica it would become just a distant memory. I am so happy to say that I was wrong! Just happened to find a bag of Ancho chiles in the kitchen cupboard when I got home. I had purchased them on a trip Walmart in San Jose, not knowing what I would do with them. But since dried chiles are a rarity here, I snatched them up anyways. It must have been fate!!! Anyways, I scoured the web to find a recipe for Chamoy, the principal ingredient in the Chamango. Courtesy of Rick Bayless... found on a food blog "This Mama Cooks". Buen provecho...

Ingredients:

• 3 dried ancho chiles
• 10 ounces apricot preserves
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt

Steps:

1. Toast chilies on a dry medium-hot skillet, pressing them flat, until they are aromatic, 10 seconds per side.
2. Scoop into a bowl, cover with hot tap water, and rehydrate 30 minutes, stirring to insure even soaking.
3. Drain and discard water. If desired, open chiles and gently remove seeds. Transfer to a blender.
4. Add fruit spread, lime juice, sugar and salt. Puree.
5. Finished Chamoy should be the consistency of syrup. If necessary, add a bit of water to thin it to the right consistency.