Sopa de Tortilla (Tortilla Soup)
[Vegan]

For the Broth:

1. First, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium. Cut the seeded pasilla chiles into thin rings using kitchen shears, then add them to the skillet along with the arbol chiles. Fry for 30-40 seconds, or until fragrant.
2. Note: reserve about ⅓ of the cooked pasilla chile rings for garnishes.
3. In the meantime, add the tomatoes, onions, garlic cloves, Mexican oregano, and 2 cups of vegetable broth to a blender. Add in the pasilla and arbol chiles and mix on high until smooth.
4. Transfer the leftover chile cooking oil to a stockpot over medium heat. Pour the salsa through a mesh strainer into the pot and let it season for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Pour in the rest of the vegetable broth, bay leaf, and sprigs of epazote. Stir to combine and turn the heat down to simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.

For the Tortillas:

1. Heat about ~1 inch of neutral oil in a deep saucepan or skillet over medium. Cut the tortillas into thin strips and fry in batches until golden brown, about 2-4 minutes per batch.
2. Transfer the strips to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Continue this process until all the strips are gone.

For the Assembly:

1. To serve, add a handful of tortilla strips to a bowl followed by a few ladles of broth. Top the bowl with cubed avocado, cubed mozzarella, pasilla chile rings, lime wedges, cashew crema, and cilantro. Happy eating!