Recently I visited the seaside community of Punta Mita in Mexico, where I enjoyed different tortilla soups. This recipe is a compilation of the various types of soup I tasted.
Stale or dried corn tortillas are used as a thickener and garnish along with fresh corn kernels for a double dose of corn flavor. I like to toast the tortilla strips to avoid extra fat, but if you prefer them fried go ahead.
Tortilla soup can be very spicy or rather mild, depending upon what chilies are included. Here, I’ve added a jalapeno to the soup as it cooks. If you like it hot and spicy, just add another jalapeno to the soup. You can also experiment with hotter Mexican chilies, like serrano or habanero, but start with a small amount because they are very hot….