WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: This traditional hummus-like dip is popular in the Yucatán peninsula. It is made from toasted pumpkin seeds and roasted tomatoes; the earthy, toasty flavors in the dip are complemented by the heat of a habanero chile and the bright freshness of lime juice and cilantro. The dip is traditionally made with unhulled pumpkin seeds, which are still encased in their white shells (or hulls). For due diligence, we tried making dips with both unhulled seeds and hulled green pepitas, but tasters unanimously preferred the coarser texture and deeper flavor of the dip made with the unhulled seeds. However, unhulled pumpkin seeds are almost always sold roasted and salted; to avoid an inedibly salty dip, we found it was crucial to rinse off the salt before we used the seeds. We then toasted the seeds in a hot oven until they turned a rich, golden color before processing them into the dip. A blender was crucial for reaching our desired consistency; a food processor did not break down the pumpkin seed hulls as well as the blender did. If using unsalted pumpkin seeds, you can skip the rinsing and drying in step 1 and go directly to toasting. Serve with homemade chips.
Makes about 3 cups
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 habanero chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 2 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (½ cup)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1½ cups roasted, unhulled pumpkin seeds
- 1 pound tomatoes, cored and halved
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Adjust 1 oven rack to middle position and second rack 6 inches from broiler element. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse pumpkin seeds under warm water and dry thoroughly. Spread seeds on rimmed baking sheet, place sheet on lower rack, and toast seeds until golden brown, stirring occasionally, 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly and heat broiler.
- Line second rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss tomatoes with 1 tablespoon oil and arrange cut side down on prepared sheet. Place sheet on upper rack and broil until tomatoes are spotty brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to blender and let cool completely.
- Add onion, lime juice, habanero, pumpkin seeds, and remaining 3 tablespoon oil to blender and process until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of blender as needed. Transfer dip to serving bowl and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with queso fresco and cilantro before serving.
