Fideo Seco
Sopita de Fideo, a traditional Mexican soup, forms an integral part of every Mexican child’s upbringing and is essentially the Mexican rendition of Chicken Noodle Soup. Fideo Seco is a dry version of Sopita de fideo.
Despite its simplicity, sopita de fideo is frequently overlooked as an everyday ‘comida casera,’ characterized by its casual and unsophisticated nature. Living far from home, it is precisely these uncomplicated dishes that bring me the greatest joy and comfort.
The key to making this the right way is to have the right peppers. Chile ancho and chile guajillo can take you very far in Mexican cooking. They are the base for any salsa roja. If you live in North America, you can find them at any Latin supermarket. If you live across the pond like myself, you can’t.
For those unable to access these specific chilis, a “lazy version” can be made using chipotle peppers in adobo. A standard can of chipotle peppers will do the job – sort of.
The foundation of the dish lies in creating a thick, smoky, deep red sauce to ensure flavorful fideo. Otherwise, you just have tomatoey noodles. So start by working on the sauce and taste it as you go. It should be pungent and intense.
Once the sauce is ready, and the noodles are sautéed, the actual cooking process is extremely quick. So don’t just dump the sauce and go watch Netflix. Stay hovering over your fideos, assessing whether the amount of liquid used will yield noodles that are perfectly ‘al dente.’
You can pair this with some delicious Rajas con Crema
Not all fideos are created equal
The measurements in this recipe have worked for me because I always use the same brand and thickness of noodles available in my current location. However, every brand and every thickness will yield slightly different fideo. If you happen to be using thicker noodles, you will need an additional splash of water or broth.
As I always say: All recipes are meant to be broken. So don’t be afraid to be intuitive with your cooking.
Buen provecho,
Cookie
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Fideo Seco
Ingredients
- 2 large tomatoes
- 1/4 white onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 chile ancho
- 2 chile guajillo
- 1 chipotle chili (in adobo) optional
- 1 cup stock
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 pinch salt
Toppings
- sour cream
- white cheese (fresco or feta)
- avocado slices
- cilantro
Instructions
First, let's make the salsa.
- Prep your vegetables and clean your peppers by removing the stems and seeds until you are left only with the outer skin.
- Place your tomatoes, onion and garlic on a hot pan to charr on all sides. This step will add a delicious and smokey flavor to the dish. Don’t be afraid of the charr. This step can take up to 15-20 minutes
- Do the same with your peppers; ancho & guajillo. Unlike the vegetables, you DO NOT want to char the peppers, this will make them taste bitter. Rather, just get them nice and toasty. This will be very quick, 2-5 minuets. Remove from heat.
- Place all vegetables in a blender, along with your toasted chiles and the cup of broth. Give it a good blend. Taste to see if it needs more salt and it's is spicy enough for you. If not, spice it up with an additional chipotle pepper.
Make the fideo
- On a clean pan, add a splash of olive oil and saute your fideo noodles until they begin to change color. You want to achieve a golden brown throughout most of the noodles.
- Once golden, add your salsa. Disperse with a spatula until everything is covered, add half a cup of water and cover. Let it simmer at medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let it rest for another 5 minutes
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