Chili Relleno, Puebla and Nuns

For many, a picnic of favorite summer dishes are in order on the 4th of July.. For Mexico, many think Cinco de Mayo is the equivalent of America’s 4th of July. Actually, the Mexican Independence Day is September 16th. The 5th of May was the day a smaller Mexican force defeated a larger foreign army in Puebla, Mexico. Since then, Cinco de Mayo has pretty much become more of a celebration and symbol of Mexican-American culture. Why think about this? Because celebrating independence and history has everything to do with chili relleno. So… Let’s talk chili.

The chili. What a flavor!  When you stuff chiles with cheese and spices and serve it with the proper herbs and rice ... it becomes a Mexican dish reflecting historic international combinations.

Mexican food originates from the Spanish conquest (1600’s) while the chili originates from Mexico. Combine the origins of European Spanish cuisine with a local Mexican grown chili stuffed and oozing with melted cheese and . . . boom: A classic and incredibly delicious Mexican dish covered with a tasty egg batter and carefully cooked is produced.  The dish has become emblematic to Mexico and core to Mexican cuisine.  But, there is more to this story.

The poblano chili is used to make chili relleno. The poblano is thought to have originated in Puebla. Puebla is a State in Mexico located southeast of Mexico City. One story suggests it was the nuns in Puebla first produced the dish we now call chili relleno. They called it ‘Chile en Nogada’ and possibly served it to interesting General in Mexican history after he was involved in a Mexican military victory in Puebla on the 5th of May. The story goes… the Puebla nuns made their chili relleno in a walnut sauce (Nogal is the Spanish word for walnut tree) and then sprinkled it with parsley and pomegranate seeds. The result: A vibrant and colorful dish of red, white, and green that has made Chiles en Nogada one of Mexico’s most patriotic dishes.

So there you have it. Chili Rellenos. It’s a tradition. A culture. A delicious creation. Polli’s has just brought it’s famous “chili relleno plate” back to life. Come and try it.