Recipe Manuscript

Adobo De Ajonjoli

Name: Adobo De Ajonjoli
Prep time: PTPT25M
Cook time: PTPT20M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 40 g dried red chiles (guajillo or ancho); 1 teaspoon (3 g) cumin seeds; 50 g sesame seeds, well toasted; 60 ml (4 tbsp) vinegar (white or apple cider); 2 tablespoons (30 g) lard or neutral vegetable oil; 400-500 g of protein (meat, fish, or tofu); 1/4 medium white onion, thinly sliced (about 20 g); 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) dried oregano; 1 small green chili (e.g., serrano), thinly sliced; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

"Sesame Adobo"

1808

From the treasured pages of Libro de varios guisados, antes, y postres, que pertenece

Written by Maria Ramona Quixano y Contreras

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)American Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1808

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Adobo De Ajonjoli

"Se pone a remojar el chile colorado, se desvena, y se muele este chile con cominos, y ajonjoli bien tostado, y una jota de Vinagre; se pone a freir en manteca bien parada, se le hecha el gano, despues de que este el pescado en futo, y asi que se apea se le hecha su rebanada de cebolla, oregano, tomachile y aceite."

English Translation

"Soak the dried red chile, remove the veins, and grind the chile with cumin and well-toasted sesame seeds, along with a splash of vinegar. Fry this mixture in well-heated lard. Add the gano (meat), after the fish has been added to the broth, and once you remove it from the heat, add a slice of onion, oregano, green tomato, chile, and oil."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe, like many from the period, assumes a cook with considerable experience—measures are imprecise, steps are sequential, and ingredient quantities are often omitted. Instructions focus on action rather than detail, with words like "hecha" (add) and "pone" (put), reflecting the oral culinary traditions and lack of standardized measurements of the era. Some spellings, such as "tomachile" for tomato and chile, and phrases like "manteca bien parada" (clean rendered lard), are historic forms or regionalisms. The text presumes the reader knows how to handle fish or meat ('gano,' possibly a local term for poultry or meat cut) and to use local ingredients.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Libro de varios guisados, antes, y postres, que pertenece - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Libro de varios guisados, antes, y postres, que pertenece (1808)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Maria Ramona Quixano y Contreras

Era

1808

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A charming window into 19th-century Mexican home cooking, this manuscript whisks readers through a delectable array of chicken dishes, vibrant salsas, and colorful salads—each recipe graced with the personal touch of Doña Maria Ramona Quixano y Contreras.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from the 1808 Mexican manuscript cookbook compiled by Doña Maria Ramona Quixano y Contreras, a resident of Silao. The collection reflects the culinary blending of indigenous and Spanish influences that defined early 19th-century Mexican home kitchens. "Adobo de ajonjolí" is a testament to the creative use of available spices, seeds, and chiles, capturing the essence of regional Mexican sauces (adobos) and seasoning blends. Sesame seeds (ajonjolí) and vinegar lend this dish a tangy, nutty profile—a delicious echo of Spain’s Moorish culinary legacy.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Traditionally, the chiles would have been soaked in a clay or earthenware bowl, deseeded by hand, and ground—either with a stone metate y mano or a heavy mortar and pestle (molcajete). Toasting of sesame seeds occurred over an open flame on a comal (flat clay or metal griddle). Cooking was typically done in cast iron or copper cazuelas (wide shallow pans), with animal fat (manteca) as the primary frying medium. Final garnishes were sliced by hand with a simple kitchen knife.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1.4 oz dried red chiles (guajillo or ancho)
1 teaspoon (0.1 oz) cumin seeds
1.8 oz sesame seeds, well toasted
1/4 cup (4 tbsp) vinegar (white or apple cider)
2 tablespoons (1 oz) lard or neutral vegetable oil
14-18 oz of protein (meat, fish, or tofu)
1/4 medium white onion, thinly sliced (about 0.7 oz)
1/2 teaspoon (0.04 oz) dried oregano
1 small green chili (e.g., serrano), thinly sliced
1 tablespoon (0.5 fl oz) olive oil

Instructions

Begin by soaking 1.4 oz of dried red chiles (such as guajillo or ancho) in warm water until soft.
Remove the stems and seeds, then blend the chiles with 1 teaspoon (0.1 oz) of cumin seeds and 1.8 oz of sesame seeds that have been well-toasted.
Add 1/4 cup (about 4 tablespoons) of vinegar to the mixture and continue blending until smooth.
Heat 2 tablespoons (1 oz) of lard or neutral vegetable oil in a wide pan.
Pour in the chile-sesame paste and fry until fragrant and the oil separates, about 5-7 minutes.
Add 14-18 oz of your chosen protein (traditionally meat, but tofu or fish can be substituted), and cook gently until done.
Just before serving, remove from heat and garnish each portion with a thin slice of fresh onion, a sprinkle of dried oregano, a mild green chili sliced (such as jalapeño or serrano), and a drizzle of olive oil.

Estimated Calories

350 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Prep takes about 25 minutes, including soaking and blending the chiles and toasting the sesame seeds. Cooking the sauce and protein takes about 20 minutes. Each serving has about 350 calories if made with chicken or tofu.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.