Salsa Verde

Name: Salsa Verde
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: Tomatillos; Onion; Jalapeno chillies; Garlic; Fresh coriander; Lime juice; Salt

33 kcal a serving, against 101 for the traditional version. That is 68 kcal off, or 67%, with 1g of protein. Serves 8. 20 minutes.

What the traditional version is

Fresh tomatillos, onions, garlic and chillies, heavily blistered and then blended with fresh coriander, lime juice and a generous glug of vegetable oil. The oil emulsifies in the blender, mellowing the harsh acidity of the tomatillos and creating a rich, velvet texture that coats the back of a spoon.

What changed, and what each change costs

60g of vegetable oil swapped for absolutely nothing

Oil is just pure fat, bringing practically zero bulk. Pouring it into a blender to emulsify a sauce adds a massive amount of fat to a bowl that is meant to be a bright, sharp vegetable condiment. Leaving it out entirely keeps all the actual vegetables intact while saving you a heavy burden.

What it costs you. You lose the creamy, luxurious mouthfeel that a proper emulsified salsa has. Without oil to thicken it, my version is runnier and noticeably sharper. It's the first compromise you'll notice when you scoop it up with a tortilla chip, because it drips right off if you aren't careful.

What goes in it

The ingredients, without the quantities. The weights are what the figures below are computed from, and they are in the book.

Tomatillos
Onion
Jalapeno chillies
Garlic
Fresh coriander
Lime juice
Salt

How it starts

Peel the papery husks off the tomatillos and wash them thoroughly.
Heat a large, dry frying pan over a high heat until it's smoking hot.
Put the tomatillos, chunks of onion, unpeeled garlic cloves and whole jalapenos straight into the dry pan.

The rest of the method, and every weight, is in Authentic-ish Mexican.

The numbers

Per serving	Traditional	Lightened
Calories	101	33
Protein	1g	1g
Fat	8.2g	0.7g
Saturated fat	1.1g	0.1g
Carbohydrate	6.7g	6.7g
Protein per 100 kcal	1g	3.2g

Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Mexican prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked. How every number is computed sets out the method.

The method is in the book

This is a brilliant, punchy condiment. So: a rustic, sharp sauce that wakes up whatever you put it on. A velvety restaurant emulsion was never on the table once the fat came out. By ditching the oil, You give up that glossy, thick texture. You get a purely acidic, fiery hit. It does exactly what a good salsa should do, cutting through rich meats and heavy tacos, and you can eat half the bowl without thinking twice. You've just got to accept a thinner sauce on your plate.

The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Mexican, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback