Growing up in Oaxaca, Mexico, chef Luis Martinez learned to love canned sardines in tomato sauce, a staple in the southern part of the country during his childhood in the 1990s. When those sardines are blended with chipotle chiles, eggs, butter, and lime, they become known as minilla, a regional dip often served with fresh vegetables. “When your mom is running out of time, when you want to eat something very quick, minilla is a dish we make,” he says.
Today Martinez lives in Asheville and celebrates Oaxacan culinary traditions and ingredients at Taqueria Rosita and through his import company, Tequio Foods. And he cooks minilla for his own family. “It’s simple, it’s a good dish you can make in less than five minutes, and the kids will love it,” he says. “Just don’t tell them it’s fish.”
Watch a demo and get the recipe below, and click here to see more chef-approved recipes from our dip-making challenge.
