Mexican Adobo Dish

Ingredients

3 ounces guajillo chiles, (12), wiped clean, stemmed, slit open, seeded, and deveined
3/4 cup water for blending, or more if necessary
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon fine salt, or 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 rounded teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

Heat a comal, griddle, or heavy skillet over medium-low heat, and toast the chiles 2 or 3 at a time, turning them over and pressing down on them with tongs frequently, until they’re fragrant and their insides have changed color slightly, about 1 minute per batch.
Soak the chiles in enough cold water to cover until they’re soft, about 30 minutes. Drain and discard the soaking water.
Put the 3/4 cup of fresh water in the blender jar with the chiles and the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth, at least 3 minutes, adding a little more water if necessary to puree. If you’d like a silky texture, strain the adobo through a medium-mesh sieve.