Mexican-style Tomato Soup (Sopa Azteca)

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karadekoolaid

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Mexican-style Tomato Soup (Sopa Azteca)

Ingredients
1 large tin (800 gms/28 ozs) tomatoes
2 cloves garlic,minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and deseeded, then roughly chopped
1 stale corn tortilla, cut into small pieces
either 1 tbsp commercial "chile pöwder" or 1 tsp cumin,1 tsp annato powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp spanish paprika, 1/2 tsp dried hot chile powder, tiny pinch cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup (approx.) Water or veg stock
1 or two fresh, hot, roasted red chile peppers ( jalapeños will do) or a chilpotle pepper
oil for frying
2 or 3 stale corn tortillas, cut into long strips

Method
heat the oil in a pan. Add the chopped onion and allow to cook until the onion begins to brown. Add the garlic and the red pepper, stir for about 1 minute, then add the spices, the salt and the tortilla. Make sure to use corn tortillas, Flour tortillas do NOT workStir to mix, then add the tin of tomatoes, the chile peppers and the veg stock. Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool a little, blend, taste for seasoning.
Heat some more oil in a frying pan and, when hot, quickly fry the tortilla strips until they become crispy. Pour the soup into bowls and place some tortilla strips on top. Decorate with chopped chiles or cilantro leaves. Alternately, you can place a strip into a shot glass and fill up with soup. Same topping!
 
Ahh... Didn't you added tortilla to mix already? And then you say to fry them separately? And all together, why would you use anything stale?
 
Ahh... Didn't you added tortilla to mix already? And then you say to fry them separately? And all together, why would you use anything stale?
One tortilla is used in the soup, probably to thicken it, or for texture. Then more tortillas are cut and fried for a crispy garnish. This is a way to use up leftover stale tortillas.
 
Last edited:
Correct. One tortilla goes into the soup to thicken it. The others are fried crispy, then used as additional texture (and flavour).
"Stale" is relative. In Mexico City, I saw people lining up for fresh tortillas every day. If the tortilla is not used the same day, it´s "stale".
 
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