Chili Powder
A few years ago we started buying all of our spices from a spice house instead of a grocery store. They are fresher and you can taste the difference.
Also we like to buy whole spices and grind them ourselves. We have a little coffee grinder that is dedicated to spices. I was just as surprised by the taste of freshly ground spices as I was with freshly ground coffee.
This is a recipe for freshly ground Chili Powder. You are unlikely to ever get it as smooth as store bought chili powder, but that’s ok. You will need a blend of dried chiles. I like the Ancho, the Guajillo and the Chipotle if you can find it dried otherwise you can get the Arbol Chiles. Cascabels are a good substitute for the Guajillo if you can find them.
3 ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and sliced
3 guajillos chiles, stemmed, seeded and sliced
3 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed, seeded and sliced
2 tbs whole cumin seeds
2 tbs granulated garlic
1 tbs dried oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika
Directions
Place all of the chiles and the cumin into a medium nonstick sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, moving the pan around constantly, until you begin to smell the cumin toasting, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside and cool completely.
Once cool, place the chiles and cumin into the carafe of a blender along with the garlic, oregano, and paprika. Process until a powder is formed. You can do a second processing with your spice grinder to make it finer. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.