Vegan Pozole


Vegan Pozole
photo by carmen troesser

Ingredients

1 dried guajillo chile, stemmed
1 dried ancho chile, stemmed
1 small white onion, quartered
1 garlic clove
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. dried Mexican oregano
6 cups vegetable broth
1 29-oz. can hominy, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
4 bay leaves
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 15.5-oz. can pinto beans, rinsed


For garnish:
2 limes, quartered
¼ head small green cabbage, thinly sliced
2 radishes, julienned
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 small red onion, diced
6 to 8 tostadas



Preparation

• Boil enough water to cover the chiles. Place the guajillo and ancho chiles in a small bowl, then pour the boiling water over them. Let soak 20 minutes and drain.
• In the bowl of a food processor, add the chiles, onion, garlic, tomato paste and oregano. Pulse a few times, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture forms a paste. Set aside.
• In a large pot, add the vegetable broth, hominy, tomatoes, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat and cook 10 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium, then add the chile mixture to a fine mesh strainer. Place the strainer in the broth, making sure the base is submerged in the liquid. Simmer 10 to 20 minutes, tasting regularly until the desired spice level is achieved.
• Remove the strainer and discard the paste. Stir in the pinto beans and simmer 10 more minutes, until the beans are heated through and the hominy has softened.
• Serve with the lime wedges, cabbage, radishes, cilantro, red onion and tostadas on the side.