Ingredients for Enchiladas de chorro
Pancake-like Enchiladas from Sonora (Enchiladas de chorro)
A few years ago, we honored Josefina Velasquez de Leon on our Days of the Dead celebrations. It was then that I discovered this recipe for pancake-like enchiladas from my native state of Sonora. They are not only delicious but much easier to make and lower in calories than traditional enchiladas that entail frying the tortillas, dipping them in chile sauce, stuffing them with cheese or some meat, rolling, and baking them after sprinkling with more cheese!
Ingredients
- 2 white onions finely chopped
- Juice of 3 limes divided
- ½ pound shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon oregano finely ground
- 5 tablespoons ground New Mexico or ancho chiles
- 1 cup lard, preferably
home-rendered or vegetable oil, divided - 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 teaspoons salt plus more to taste, divided
- 1 head iceberg lettuce finely shredded
- 2 cups masa harina
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg lightly beaten
Instructions
- Combine the white onions with the juice of 2 limes and let rest for 2 hours. Combine the cheese with the oregano and stir in the onion mixture. Set aside.
- Add 3 cups hot water to the powdered chile to make a paste and let rest for 15 minutes, or until absorbed. Heat 1 tablespoon lard until rippling and add the flour. Cook, stirring, until golden. Add the chile paste, salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Mix the lettuce with the juice of the remaining lime and set aside.
- Combine the masa harina with the baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Add 2 cups warm water and the beaten egg. You should have a batter about the thickness of pancake batter. If not add more water. Heat 3 tablespoons lard in a heavy-bottomed skillet and add about ½ cup of batter. Fry the tortilla on both sides until lightly golden. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter until done, adding more lard as needed.
- When ready to serve, bring the chile sauce to a boil. Dip each tortilla into the sauce, transfer to a plate, top with cheese and lettuce mixtures and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 517kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 12gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 810mgPotassium: 429mgFiber: 6gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 3169IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 289mgIron: 3mg
