Instructions: SAUCE: Heat a griddle or heavy skillet to very hot and cook the chiles for 10 seconds to soften. Rinse the chiles and place in a saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Reserving the liquid, place the chiles in a blender with the allspice, cloves, cumin, oregano, and garlic. Blend with the top slightly off and protected by a kitchen towel or the heat will blow the top off during blending. Add the chile cooking water and blend again. Add the tomatoes and blend again.

Heat the oil in a saucepan. Press a third of the sauce through a strainer into the hot oil and cook, stirring. Press another third, then the remainder, adding a little hot water if necessary to get the sauce through.

Reduce the heat and simmer the smoothed sauce for 10 minutes.

VEGETABLES: Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for 10 minutes. Add the nopales, corn, and cilantro and boil for an additional 5 minutes. In a bowl, mix the 3 cups of water with the masa, a little at a time until its all incorporated. Slowly pour the thinned masa into the boiling vegetable-chile water and stir well. Add 3 more cups of water. Cook for 10 minutes to thicken. Combine the sauce and vegetables.

Serve in wide, shallow bowls accompanied by warm tortillas.

Notes: Vegetable medley with mole, a sweet and hot sauce, but this mole does not include chocolate.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.