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1
To make the sauce: Wash the chiles and remove their stems, seeds, and veins.
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2
Bring the water to a boil in a medium sized saucepan and add the chiles.
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3
Cover the pan and remove it from the heat.
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4
Soak for 1 hour, or until softened, then drain, reserving the soaking water.
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5
In a blender, combine the chiles and their soaking water with the garlic, onion, cumin, salt, pepper, sugar, and oregano.
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6
Puree the sauce until smooth, adding a little more of the soaking water if it is too thick.
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7
In a wide saute pan large enough to fit the diameter of the tortillas, heat the olive oil over medium low heat.
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8
Add the sauce and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly.
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9
Taste for seasoning, cover and keep warm at the back of the stove.
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10
To make the enchiladas: In a mixing bowl, combine the cheese, chiles, cilantro and the onions and toss to mix.
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11
In another large skillet, heat 1-inch of canola oil over mediumhigh heat.
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12
When it is hot, fry the tortillas, one at a time, for about 30 seconds, or until slightly golden but still pliable.
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13
Drain on paper towels.
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14
Preheat the oven to warm.
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15
Ladle some of the sauce in the center of a warm plate.
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16
Coat each tortilla with sauce by dipping it into the pan, then place it on the plate.
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17
Scatter about 1/4 cup of the cheese chile mixture over, then dip and stack another tortilla.
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18
Scatter with the cheese and make another layer in the same way.
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19
Top with a fourth dipped tortilla and keep warm in the oven while you finish stacking the dipped tortillas and cheese to make 5 more servings.
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20
Top each stack with a little more sauce, some of the crumbled panela, and a few sprigs of cilantro and serve immediately.
