Tezmoles are a traditional dish from the Mazateca region of Oaxaca. They are often prepared in association with spiritual ceremonies.
- some of the more unusual ingredients for ‘Tesmole de pollo mazateco‘ are achiote paste, yerba santa leaves and chiltepe chiles.
![ingredients for Tesmole ingredients for Tesmole](https://blogs.ubc.ca/albatz/files/2012/12/11OcMexCookINgredieTesmole1126w-300x260.jpg)
achiote paste, yerba santa leaves and chiltepe chiles, a few of the ingredients for Tesmole
- start by boiling 8 sets of chicken thighs and legs in 10 cups of salted water along with 1/3 onion and a couple of garlic cloves at low heat for a couple of hours.
- chiletepe chiles for Tesmole de Pollo
![chiles for Tesmole de Pollo chiles for Tesmole de Pollo](https://blogs.ubc.ca/albatz/files/2012/12/11OcMexCookOaxacaTesmoledePollo1185w-300x297.jpg)
chiles for Tesmole de Pollo
- if you can’t find 20 chiletepe chiles for the Tesmole de Pollo, then substitute 12 guajillo chiles and eight chiles de arbol.
![substitute chiles for the Tesmole de Pollo if you can't find chiletepecs substitute chiles for the Tesmole de Pollo if you can't find chiletepecs](https://blogs.ubc.ca/albatz/files/2012/12/11OcMexCookOaxacaTesmoledePollo1186w-300x208.jpg)
substitute chiles for the Tesmole de Pollo if you can’t find chiletepes
- dried yerba santa leaves for the Tesmole de Pollo. They have a peppery/licorice smell with a pungent overlay of something (kerosene maybe?). Tarragon is probably the best substitute.
![Hierba Santa Hierba Santa](https://blogs.ubc.ca/albatz/files/2012/12/11OcMexCookOaxacaHierbaSanta1156w-300x213.jpg)
yerba santa
- the chiles are soaked for 15 minutes, strained and then added to the blender along with a cup of chicken broth, 1/4 tsp of achiote paste and the yerba santa leaves. The blended mix is added back into the pot with the chicken and broth
![into the blender into the blender](https://blogs.ubc.ca/albatz/files/2012/12/11ocMexCookTesMoledePolloBlender1177w-211x300.jpg)
into the blender
- the corn flour is mixed with water to form a dough; the masa dough is then mixed with more water to form a runny mix
![the corn flour is mixed with water to form a dough; the dough is then mixed with more flour to act as a thickener the corn flour is mixed with water to form a dough; the dough is then mixed with more flour to act as a thickener](https://blogs.ubc.ca/albatz/files/2012/12/11myMexCookVeracruzMasaThickener1504w-300x197.jpg)
the masa dough is mixed with more flour to act as a thickener