Pasilla Negro
What it is
A long, slender, wrinkled, blackish-brown pod — the dried chilaca. Pasilla means "little raisin," for its dark, shriveled appearance. (Beware: U.S. markets often mislabel ancho or poblano as "pasilla.")
How it's made
Ripened chilacas are dried until black and raisin-textured, concentrating their berry-and-cocoa character.
Flavor profile
Deep, complex, and herbaceous — dried berry, raisin, licorice, and a grassy, almost grape-like note, with gentle heat. More herbal and brighter than mulato.
Culinary uses
The third mole pillar; also blended into sauces for seafood and lamb, fried into crisp garnishes (pasilla strips over soup), and ground into salsa borracha ("drunken salsa" with pulque or beer). Pairs with mushrooms, lamb, garlic, and seafood.
Regional variations
Pasilla de Oaxaca is a different, smoked, hotter chile (see note); the classic pasilla negro comes from central Mexico.
Cultural & historical context
Completes the ancho–mulato–pasilla triad at the heart of mole; its herbal depth is irreplaceable in the canonical recipe.
Reference notes
Tags: `dried`, `mild-medium`, `Mexican`, `C. annuum`, `mole`, `berry`. Related: chilaca (fresh), ancho, mulato, pasilla de Oaxaca. Substitute ancho + a pinch of árbol. Sourcing: verify it's truly long and black (not a mislabeled ancho). Link → Chilaca, Mole Poblano, Salsa Borracha.