Zapotec Pumpkin-Seed Sauce

Some pepianes are smooth, satiny, and very simple to make thanks to modern blenders and food processors. But this one, from Zoyla Mendoza, is closer to the roots of the dish. In fact, it is not far removed from a true pre-Hispanic pepián. (The poultry stock and onion are European additions.) You will notice one of the most ancient Oaxacan flavors, the briny and assertive accent of dried shrimp.

The texture is quite different from the preceding Pepiá