Cheese-stuffed battered poblano peppers (Chiles rellenos)

1. Char the poblano peppers all over, turning them over a gas flame or under the oven grill, let them sweat in a covered bowl for 10 minutes, then peel; slit them along one side and carefully lift out the seed core.

2. Cut the Oaxaca cheese into thick sticks or pull it into strands and stuff the peppers; close the opening with a toothpick. If you can't get Oaxaca cheese, mozzarella is a good substitute.

3. For the sauce, blend the tomatoes, onion and garlic with the water until smooth, cook in a pot with a little oil for 10 minutes and season with salt.

4. Separate the eggs: whisk the whites with a pinch of salt to stiff peaks, then fold in the yolks one at a time. Dust the stuffed peppers lightly in flour so the batter will stick.

5. Heat about 2 cm of oil in a deep frying pan. Dip the peppers one at a time into the egg batter and fry in the hot oil for 2-3 minutes per side until golden, spooning oil over the top as they cook; drain on kitchen paper.

6. Pull out the toothpicks, lay the peppers in the warm tomato sauce and serve with rice and warm tortillas.

Tip: The flour coating is the secret: without it the egg batter slides straight off the smooth pepper skin.