pepian root vegetable stew

In a large, dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the dried chiles, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds until the chiles are fragrant and the sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds are lightly toasted (do not let them burn or your sauce will be bitter). Remove from pan and set aside.In the same skillet, add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, and habanero chiles. Cook over medium heat until softened and lightly charred. Add all of the sauce ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides and adding water as necessary. You want this to be pretty thick but not chunky. Set aside to add to the stew.Heat the coconut oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook until soft and fragrant. Add the remaining vegetables and the salt and cook for about five minutes, until lightly browned.Cover the vegetables with the vegetable broth and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Slowly add about 1 cup of the pepian sauce, stirring and tasting the broth as you add it. My pepian sauce ended up being pretty spicy, so I wanted to avoid adding too much.Let the stew simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and tender and the stew has thickened slightly. If you want to (and I would definitely recommend it), melt about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil into the stew. Add more salt as necessary.Top with some freshly squeezed lime juice and chopped cilantro, and serve alongside a few scoops of rice and warm corn tortillas. The open a beer and pretend to be in sunny and warm Guatemala.