Spicy Substitutions

• To mimic the heat level and flavor of ancho chili powder, add an equal amount of either New Mexico or pasilla chili powder to the dish. To introduce a bit more heat, you can use chipotle or cayenne chili powder, but start small and adjust as necessary, as both are quite potent. If you have whole ancho chilies on hand, you can grind them into powder yourself with a mortar and pestle or food processor. Simply cut off the stem end and scrape out the seeds first. Alternately, rehydrate cleaned whole anchos by soaking them in hot water until soft and pliable, then puree them with a splash of the soaking water. Add the resulting paste to your dish by the teaspoon until you reach the desired heat level and flavor.