The Legend of a Dish that Tells the Origin Story of Mexico

By Susie Green -

Usually appearing on menus in late August, the iconic chiles en nogada is a dish to celebrate Mexican Independence Day on September 16. The plate, which translates as "chiles in walnut sauce," represents the five-century convergence of religions and traditions in what is now known as Mexico.

Chiles en nogada

Chiles en nogada is a recipe that incorporates ingredients, textures, flavors, and cooking techniques from around the world. Ground beef and pork are typically combined with dried fruits and nuts and wrapped in mildly spicy poblano pepper. The dish is finished with a light walnut sauce, pomegranate seeds, and frequently parsley. The choice of a poblano pepper as the plate's centerpiece — a staple of the region where this delicacy originated — appears to be a deliberate act of poetry.

As aesthetically pleasing as it is delectable — dressed in the Mexican flag's green, white, and red hues — chiles en nogada satisfies the senses of sight, smell, taste, touch, and identity. The plate, which is half Spanish and half indigenous, is an allegory for the complexity of the Mexican people. Chiles en nogada has become a symbol of patriotic pride due to its emblematic colors and the legends surrounding its origin.

Two well-known legends describe the origins of chiles en nogada, both of which point to Puebla as the fertile Central Mexican soil where they thrived. The colonial city, surrounded by volcanoes, was prosperous and diverse. Due to its advantageous location halfway between Mexico City and the port of Veracruz (the gateway between Spain and the New World), its cooks had access to new ingredients and cultures, resulting in increased culinary sophistication.

Chiles en nogada

The Story About Chiles En Nogada

The most popular version of the story places the origins of chiles en nogada at the Convent of Santa Mónica, where Augustinian nuns conjured them up in the 1820s. The nuns, renowned for their culinary skills, were commissioned to prepare a meal for Mexican Emperor Agustin de Iturbide, commander of the Trigarante Army (a unified force of Spanish and Mexican forces). Iturbide intended to stop in Puebla on his way to Mexico City following the signing of the Treaty of Córdoba in Veracruz, declaring Mexico's independence from Spain. His arrival would be timed to coincide with Augustine's feast day, his patron saint.

According to legend, the nuns searched for green, white, and red ingredients to represent the Trigarante Army's colors. Iturbide was later credited with designing the Mexican flag, which bears the same colors.

Artemio de Valle-Arizpe, a twentieth-century writer, added to the dish's legacy with a story claiming credit for its creation to three women — girlfriends of three Trigarante soldiers. The sisters, who lived in Puebla, were allegedly overjoyed at their partners' return and the success of Iturbide's mission. The trio sought the intercession of San Juan Baylón, the patron saint of cooks. The women incorporated seasonal ingredients into their creation that matched the colors of the Trigarante uniform.

Woman holding a plate of Chiles en nogada

Both tales revolve around a charming plate that symbolizes a nation's identity and has captured the minds and hearts of Mexicans from all walks of life for centuries.

“This is a traditional dish,” Alfonso Sotelo of 5 Rabanitos in Pilsen explains. Sotelo takes great pride in serving a dish that "celebrates Mexico and embodies the flag we bear in our hearts."

Apart from the emotions evoked by seeing your country's emblematic colors on a plate, particularly when you're away from it, for many of people, preparing and eating chiles en nogada is also an act of communion — a way to bridge the divide between people and their homeland, and a way to participate in a collective ritual occurring across time and space.

As is the case with many Mexican dishes, making chiles en nogada takes time and effort and is typically done in a group setting. Preparing it requires a delicate balance of adaptation and preservation. Given that each cook in each family appears to have their own secret recipe and that some of the dish's original ingredients, such as candied biznaga — a type of endangered cactus — are no longer available, there is generally room for creativity within recipes, with one notable exception: el capeado. El capeado — dipping the pepper in egg batter and then frying it — is critical for the people of Puebla in particular.

The Dish Is Growing in Popularity in Mexico

Chiles en nogada

The dish, which appears on nearly every menu on August 28 to commemorate St. Augustine's feast, recently celebrated its 200th anniversary. As its popularity continues to grow in Mexico, the wait to enjoy this iconic dish has recently been cut in half. As long as the ingredients are available, this festive delicacy can now be enjoyed as early as July.

The plate is also gaining popularity in Chicago, not only in Mexico. According to restaurateurs, requests for chiles en nogada come from both long-time fans and new converts who learned about the dish through travel, word of mouth, or social media. And, while seasonal availability is not always an issue (some restaurants serve them all year), finding them in Chicago is not always straightforward.