Chancho en piedra — Chile's stone-ground tomato, garlic and chili salsa

They are the two fresh salsas of the Chilean table, but different in technique and taste. Pebre is knife-chopped into small dice and leads with cilantro and onion, with the tomato in defined pieces. Chancho en piedra is crushed in a mortar: garlic and chili are ground with salt into a paste, and the tomato is broken down on top, so the texture is a coarse, juicy pulp with a much stronger garlic presence and no cilantro required. Pebre belongs to all of Chile; chancho en piedra is typical of the Maule valley, above all Talca.

There is no pork. The name comes from 'chancar', which in Quechua and in Chilean rural speech means to crush or grind: the salsa is 'chancada en piedra', ground in the traditional volcanic-stone mortar of the Maule countryside. Over time 'chancado en piedra' became 'chancho en piedra' — chancho being the Chilean word for pig. The stone mortar is so much part of the recipe that in Talca the salsa is served in it.

Yes, though the flavour shifts a little. Crush the garlic, chili and salt with the flat of a wide knife on the board until they form a paste, then mash the tomato with a fork or a potato masher in a bowl. Avoid the blender and the food processor: they turn the tomato into frothy juice and the salsa loses its coarse texture. A wooden or ceramic mortar works well; stone only adds that it stays cold.

In the Maule it is eaten on freshly made pan amasado or tortilla de rescoldo as a spread, and it is the side for the barbecue, for sopaipillas and for boiled potatoes. At Fiestas Patrias it sits in the middle of the table next to the pebre so everyone can choose. It also lifts a completo, a reheated empanada de pino or fried eggs.

The traditional one is fresh cacho de cabra, a red chili of medium heat. If you cannot find it, a Chilean green chili or a jalapeño works. The heat lives in the white ribs and seeds: remove them for a mild salsa, keep some for medium, and use two whole chilies for a hot one. Because it is pounded with the garlic, the heat spreads evenly through the whole salsa, so start with less and adjust.

It is at its best the same day: crushed tomato releases juice over the hours and the garlic grows stronger. Covered in the fridge it holds for 2 days; take it out 15 minutes before serving and drain the excess juice. It does not freeze. For the 18th, pound the garlic with the chili and salt in the morning (that paste keeps well) and add the tomato just before serving.