What is ancho chili paste and/or powder?
Debra A. Victorville, CA Ancho chili powder or paste is a ground powder or paste made from ancho chilis which are essentially dried fresh green poblano chilis, often used in Mexican cuisine for stuffing. Dried anchos are sold whole, seeded and ground into a powder or mixed with a liquid of some sort to create a paste. The powder and paste would be sold in stores or areas in the country where Southwest and Mexican cuisine are a big hit. Otherwise, it is a lot simpler to find whole ancho peppers; I see them in all sorts of simple and sophisticated markets. To turn the dried ones into a powder, remove the seeds and in a coffee or spice grinder, pulverize the dried pulp until it is finely ground into a powdery substance.
