Sopa de lima

Step 1: Put 2 ¼ lb chicken legs, 10 ½ cups water, ½ white onion, 1 head garlic, 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano, 4 allspice berries, 2 whole cloves and 2 tsp salt in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat, skim, then cook gently until the chicken reaches 165°F and falls from the bone.

Step 2: Lift out the chicken, then strain the broth; you need about 1.8 litres. Shred the meat and discard skin and bones.

Step 3: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in the cleaned pot over a medium heat. Fry 1 white onion and 1 green pepper until soft, then add 2 tomatoes and cook until they collapse into a thick sauce.

Step 4: Pour in the broth, add 1 habanero chilli and the strips of lime zest, and simmer for 5 minutes. Then remove the zest and the habanero. Don't simmer the zest longer: it turns the broth bitter, which is the most common mistake with this soup.

Step 5: Add the shredded chicken and heat through. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the juice from 3 limes and 3 tbsp orange or grapefruit juice. Taste for salt; it should be bright and fragrant, not sharply sour.

Step 6: Heat ¾ cup vegetable oil in a small pan over a medium-high heat and fry 6 corn tortillas in batches until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and salt lightly.

Step 7: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a pile of tortilla strips, 1 handful coriander and 8 lime slices.