Stock up on the essentials for this dish.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

12 New Mexico red chile pods

2 to 3 cups boiling water

1/4 vegetable oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 to 3 teaspoons minced garlic

Salt to taste

Rinse the pods well to remove debris and dirt.  Remove the stems from the chiles and shake out the seeds.  Place the pods in a bowl and cover with 2 to 3 cups of boiling water.  Weigh the chiles down with a plate or can to submerge (they have a tendency to float), and let them stand for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion for 3 minutes, until softened.  Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Drain the chiles, reserving the liquid.  Place half the chiles in a blender and add 1 1/2 cups of the soaking liquid and half of the sautéed onion/garlic mixture and puree.

Add more chile liquid if the mixture seems too thick.  Repeat the process with the remaining chiles and 1 cup of the soaking liquid, but take care to pour carefully and leave any residual grit at the bottom of the liquid and discard.

Pour the purees into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer the mixture for 20 minutes.  Strain the sauce and discard the bits of skin.  Taste and season with salt as needed.