Pozole Rojo with Pork

Cut the pork shoulder into larger cubes (2-3 cm). Peel the onion and leave one half whole. Chop the other half. Peel the garlic. Drain the hominy in a sieve and rinse under cold water, then let it drain. Remove stems and seeds from the dried chilies and cut them into smaller pieces. Quarter the tomatoes.

Place the dried chilies in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soften for 10-15 minutes. After they soften, reserve some of the soaking water. You can use it to thin the paste or when blending instead of broth.

Heat oil in a deep pot over medium-high heat. Add the pork pieces and brown them on all sides (about 6-8 minutes) so they sear and develop color. Add half of the whole onion, the whole garlic cloves, and a bay leaf. Cover with water so the meat is submerged, bring to a boil, skim off any foam, and add salt. Reduce the heat and cook covered on a low simmer for 1.5 hours, until the meat is tender. You can tell when it falls apart easily with a fork.

Meanwhile, prepare the chili paste: drain the softened chilies (reserve some soaking water), place them in a blender with the tomatoes, the other half of the onion, ground cumin, oregano, and a little broth or soaking water. Blend until smooth, adding a little liquid as needed to achieve a thick, saucy paste.

Heat a little oil in a skillet and briefly fry the chili paste for 2-3 minutes to release its aroma and remove the raw taste. Add the paste to the pot with the broth, stir in the drained hominy, and cook for another 25-30 minutes so the hominy heats through and the flavors meld. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed.

Divide the pork pieces and a portion of hominy between bowls and ladle over the hot broth with the paste. Garnish with shredded fresh cabbage, radish slices, and chopped cilantro. Squeeze lime juice over and serve with tortilla chips. Add salt and pepper to taste.