← Nouns Cooking · Mexican

Ingredients

• 5 Dried guajillo chillies, stems and seeds removed
• 2 dried ancho chillies, stems and seeds removed
• 1 Tomato
• ¼ white onion
• 2 cloves Garlic
• ½ tsp Dried oregano
• 1 pinch Cumin
• 1 tsp Salt
• 400 ml water or vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 12 corn tortillas
• 300 g Queso fresco, crumbled
• ½ white onion, finely chopped
• 2 handfuls shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
• 120 ml Mexican crema or sour cream

Method

1. Toast the dried chillies in a dry pan over medium heat for about 30 seconds a side, until fragrant. Cover with boiling water and soak for 10 min.
2. Drain the chillies and blend with the tomato, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt and the water until very smooth. Strain into a saucepan, simmer for 8–10 min until it thickens a little, then taste for salt.
3. Mix the crumbled cheese with most of the chopped onion, keeping a little for the top.
4. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Pass each tortilla through the oil for a few seconds a side, just to soften it, then dip it in the warm sauce.
5. Fill each sauced tortilla with a line of cheese and onion, roll it up and set it on a warm plate. Work quickly so they stay warm.
6. Spoon over the remaining sauce and top with lettuce, crema, the rest of the onion and a little more cheese.

Tips

• Softening the tortillas in hot oil first stops them going soggy and tearing in the sauce.
• For a heartier plate, add fried potato and carrot cubes on top, as street stalls do.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Mexican Please Kitchen Gidget Mexican Please