Merkén is a condiment of the Mapuche people, Chile, made from smoked chili, coriander seeds and salt.
Traditional of the Mapuche people, it has spread to all Chilean gastronomy, also influencing others such as Mexican cuisine. There is, for example, a variety of the classic michelada where spicy sauces are replaced with merkén.
This merkén is the so-called special one made from 70% goat chili, 10% coriander seeds and 20% salt. With them we can prepare dishes with meat and poultry, potatoes, rice and even chocolate.
Due to new European regulations, the merken that can be marketed in Europe cannot contain an essential oil that is common in this preparation, so it may not be as compact as the usual one that we were used to in the past.
