Fully Loaded Nachos

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Remove the stems and seeds from 2 whole Ancho chillies and 1 whole Guajillo chilli and tear into strips. Place in a microwave safe bowl and cover with water. Microwave for two minutes, then allow the chilli strips to soak for 10 minutes.

Blend the chillies into a smooth paste, adding water if needed to get a saucy consistency.

Add 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 whole clove and 1/2 star anise to a pan over low heat. Occasionally swirl the pan so they heat evenly. Remove them from the pan once they smell toasted, otherwise you risk burning them and will need to start again. Grind into powder using a mortar and pestle, or a spice grinder.

Finely dice 1 medium brown onion and 2 cloves garlic.

Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp butter and heat until it starts to splutter. Add the onions and garlic and cook until translucent, but not brown.

Add the prepared spice mix, along with 1 tsp dried oregano, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp fish sauce to the onion mix and cook until fragrant and slightly reduced, about one minute.

Add 1/2 cup chicken stock and the chilli mixture, then stir until they combine into a homogeneous sauce. Add 500 g pork or beef mince and start breaking it up until no large pieces remain. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until the sauce reduces to a thick consistency. If the sauce isn't spicy enough, add chilli powder as needed.

Mix together 1 tbsp cornstarch with enough water to make a thick slurry. Stir into the meat sauce for one minute to thicken the sauce to its final consistency. Stir in 1 tbsp jalapeno hot sauce. Season to taste.

Add a layer of corn chips to a baking tray. Add a layer of the meat sauce, then a layer of grated cheese on top. Feel free to add more layers, but I find the chips underneath start to get soggy with more layers. Put in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is starting to brown.

Serve immediately with any/all toppings, plus an extra drizzle of hot sauce if desired.