Ahuautle Fritters in Tomatillo-Chili Sauce
The 'Mexica caviar': tiny eggs of water flies (axayacatl), dried, bound into small fritters, and simmered in a green sauce of tomatillo and chili, perfumed with epazote. Crunchy, briny, deeply umami, and spicy. A sought-after dish, worthy of a festive table.
The 'Mexica caviar': tiny eggs of water flies (axayacatl), dried, bound into small fritters, and simmered in a green sauce of tomatillo and chili, perfumed with epazote. Crunchy, briny, deeply umami, and spicy. A sought-after dish, worthy of a festive table.
Do you see those clouds of flies that veil my reeds at dusk? The fishermen harvest their eggs, the ahuautle, the caviar of my lake. They press them into little fritters and drown them — ah, they drown them — in a sauce of miltomate and chīlli, green as my water. Lean down to gather them if you dare: at the end of my tail, there is a hand.
- •Ahuautle (dried axayacatl eggs) — two handfuls (protein base, briny flavor)
- •Miltomate (tomatillo) — about ten (tart sauce base)
- •Fresh green chīlli (serrano type) — 1 to 2 (spiciness)
- •Fresh epazote — a few sprigs (typical aromatic herb)
- •Texcoco salt — a pinch (seasoning)
Ahuautle Fritters in Tomatillo-Chili Sauce
The 'Mexica caviar': tiny eggs of water flies (axayacatl), dried, bound into small fritters, and simmered in a green sauce of tomatillo and chili, perfumed with epazote. Crunchy, briny, deeply umami, and spicy. A sought-after dish, worthy of a festive table.
Why this dish? Ahuautle — the eggs of water bugs — was harvested from the reeds of the very waters the Ahuizotl is said to haunt. Leaning over the lake to collect them is exactly the reckless gesture the legend punishes: a banquet morsel wrested from dangerous territory.
Do you see those clouds of flies that veil my reeds at dusk? The fishermen harvest their eggs, the ahuautle, the caviar of my lake. They press them into little fritters and drown them — ah, they drown them — in a sauce of miltomate and chīlli, green as my water. Lean down to gather them if you dare: at the end of my tail, there is a hand.
Ingredients (period version)
- Ahuautle (dried axayacatl eggs) — two handfuls (protein base, briny flavor)
- Miltomate (tomatillo) — about ten (tart sauce base)
- Fresh green chīlli (serrano type) — 1 to 2 (spiciness)
- Fresh epazote — a few sprigs (typical aromatic herb)
- Texcoco salt — a pinch (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Dried ahuautle (Mexican markets; substitute: dried shrimp powder) — 100 g (heart of the dish — authentic is ahuautle)
- Egg — 1 (modern binder for fritters (see note))
- Tomatillos — 10 (about 300 g) (base for salsa verde)
- Serrano chili — 1 to 2 (spiciness)
- Fresh epazote — 4 sprigs (characteristic flavor)
- Neutral oil — 2 tbsp (frying fritters (modern convenience))
- Salt — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Rehydrate the ahuautle for 10 minutes in a little warm water, then drain.
- Mix it with the beaten egg and a pinch of salt until a cohesive dough forms; shape into small fritters.
- Cook the fritters for 2 minutes per side in a lightly oiled pan until golden.
- For the salsa: blanch tomatillos and chili for 5 minutes in water, then grind (molcajete or blender) with epazote and salt.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer, add the fritters, and cook for 5 minutes so they absorb the flavor.
- Serve hot, with tortillas for dipping.
How it was made : Sahagún describes harvesting ahuautle from the lake reeds using bundles of rushes where the insects laid eggs. Before the Conquest, the naturally sticky eggs were bound without chicken eggs (unknown then): they were pressed into fritters and steamed in corn husk packets (tlapique) or simmered in a molli. The chicken egg in the modern version is a post-Hispanic convenience.
The contemporary twist : Plate the tortitas as 'lake croquettes' on a mirror of salsa verde, garnished with a fried epazote leaf: pre-Hispanic tapas for a curious table.
Sources : Bernardino de Sahagún, Historia general de las cosas de Nueva España (Codex de Florence), Book XI · Fray Diego Durán, Historia de las Indias de Nueva España
Ahuizotl · Charactorium
