Nopalitos Tacos with Roasted Panela Cheese

Ingredients:

3 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed

1 dried pasilla chile, stem and seeds removed

6 cactus pads, thorns removed

⅓ piece of white onion (about ½ cup), roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves

1 tbsp dried oregano

2 tsp white vinegar

3 tbsp cooking oil, divided

½ pieces red onion, sliced

1 tsp salt

1 (10-ounce) package panela cheese, sliced

12 El Comal Mini Yellow Corn Ranchera Tortillas, warmed

chopped cilantro for serving

lime wedges for serving

Directions:

Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add dried chiles and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, set aside and let chiles hydrate for 15 minutes.

While chiles hydrate, slice cactus into 2-inch strips.

Add white onion, garlic, oregano, vinegar and 1 cup of the water chiles hydrated in a blender. Blend until smooth. Run sauce through a strainer into a bowl and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan over low-medium heat. Add red onion. When onion begins to soften, add cactus strips. Stir frequently until cactus darkens in color. Add red chile sauce and stir in salt. Cook for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Turn off heat and keep warm.

Heat remaining oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Carefully add panela slices and fry until golden spots from on both sides. Transfer to a plate.

To assemble, place two to three warm tortillas on a serving plate. Add one to two slices of roasted panela cheese, red chile cactus mixture and cilantro. Serve. Sprinkle with lime juice and enjoy.

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Nopalitos Tacos with Roasted Panela Cheese