GET THE RECIPE!
Chile ancho 5 Guajillo chiles 1 Pasilla chile 2-3 Morita, chiles dried 4 Roma tomatoes, medium 5 cloves Garlic, unpeeled ½ White Onion, peeled 5 Allspice, whole 10 Black peppercorns 2 Cloves, whole ½ tsp. Cumin seeds 1 stick Ceylon cinnamon ¼ tsp. Marjoram, dried ¼ tsp. Thyme, dried ½ tsp. Oregano, dried ¼ tsp. Ground ginger 2 Bay leaves ¼ cup Apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp. Vegetable oil
2 lb. Oyster mushrooms 3 -4 cups Vegetable broth or stock 10 Black peppercorns 2 Cloves, whole ½ tsp. Cumin seeds ¼ tsp. Marjoram, dried ¼ tsp. Thyme, dried ½ tsp. Oregano, dried ¼ tsp. Ground ginger
STEP 1
Drain the jackfruit and rinse it with water. Cut the core of the jackfruit. Remove the seed pods and shred them with your hands. Place in a pot and cover with water. Add the half onion and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, and simmer for 10 mins. Remove from heat, drain, and let cool slightly. Squeeze all the water out with your hands or by placing it in a towel. Set aside
STEP 2
Set a cast-iron pan or comal at med-high heat. Toast the chiles on each side until they began to change color. Place them in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and turn the heat off. Let soak for 10 mins. In the same cast-iron pan, place the tomatoes, garlic, and ½ an onion and let char on both sides until they are slightly blackened on all sides. Peel the garlic and place these ingredients in the blender.
STEP 3
Toast the allspice, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, and cumin seeds in a small sauté pan set to med heat until fragrant. Add to the blender. Add the marjoram, thyme, oregano, ginger, bay leaves, and apple cider vinegar to the blender. Drain the chiles, but reserve the liquid. Add the chiles to the blender and 1 ½ cups of the chile soaking liquid. Blend until smooth. If necessary add more liquid to get a smooth puree. Strain and set aside.
STEP 4
Set a large pot to med-high heat, add oil. Sauté mushrooms in batches until they are golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove from pot and set aside. Add more oil to the pot and sauté the jackfruit until golden brown. Add the mushrooms back into the pot, lower heat, and pour in chile puree. Stir. Let simmer for 2- 3 mins, then add the vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer, and let cook for 25 mins. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
STEP 5
To serve in tacos: Drain some of the mushroom meat, heat tortillas, and make tacos. Sprinkle them with cilantro and onion, and serve with a bowl of broth to dip in.
STEP 6
To serve in quesabirrias: Drain some of the mushroom meat and set aside. Heat a sauté pan to med-high heat and add 1 tsp. of oil. Dip the tortilla in the hot broth and place in the sauté pan, place a slice of cheese on one side of the tortilla, and add 1 tbsp. of mushroom meat. Let cook for 2 mins then flip it. Cook until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is slightly blackened. Sprinkle them with cilantro and onion, and serve with a bowl of broth to dip in.
To make this vegan birria I decided to substitute the meat with a mixture of jackfruit and shredded oyster mushrooms, but you could do all mushrooms or all jackfruit You can store it in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer 6 months.