Vegan red pozole, a vegetarian recipe from Mexico

Name: Vegan red pozole
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mexico
Ingredients: 800 g canned hominy, drained; 4 dried guajillo chillies; 2 dried ancho chillies; 400 g oyster mushrooms, or 400 g drained young jackfruit; 1 onion, halved; 4 garlic cloves; 1 tsp Mexican oregano; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1.5 l vegetable stock labelled gluten free; 2 tbsp oil; Salt; Sliced radishes, shredded white cabbage, chopped onion and lime wedges, to serve

Method

Deseed the chillies and toast them for 30 seconds a side in a dry pan without scorching. Cover with hot water and soak for 20 minutes.
Blend the chillies with a little soaking water, half the onion, the garlic, oregano and cumin into a smooth sauce. Push it through a sieve.
Tear the oyster mushrooms into strips, or shred the jackfruit. Fry in the oil over high heat until browned at the edges.
Pour the chilli sauce into a large pot with the remaining onion half and cook it down for 5 minutes, stirring.
Add the stock, hominy and mushrooms. Bring to the boil, then simmer covered for 30 minutes. Season generously with salt.
Fish out the onion. Serve piping hot and let everyone top their bowl with radish, cabbage, raw onion and a big squeeze of lime.

Pozole is Mexico’s big-table dish, served at Christmas and on Independence Day. The raw garnishes are not optional; they bring crunch and freshness to the rich broth.

The techniques this recipe uses

Reduce
Uncovered, water leaves and flavour concentrates. It is done when the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between guajillo and ancho chillies?

Guajillo is thin, fairly sharp and slightly tangy; ancho is a dried poblano, fleshier, mild and fruity. Together they give the broth its deep red colour and moderate heat. Using only one of the two throws the balance off.

Why strain the chilli sauce?

Even after thorough blending, the skins of dried chillies stay behind as flecks that make the broth feel gritty. Straining holds those skins back and lets the smooth purée through, which changes the texture a great deal.

Can the hominy be replaced?

Not easily: these are corn kernels treated with lime, which swell and keep a distinctive chew you will not find elsewhere. Tinned sweetcorn would give a sweet, structureless soup. Look for it tinned, sold as maíz pozolero.

Vegan red pozole

Method

The techniques this recipe uses

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Nutrition per serving

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