Add the meat and let it ook until it begins to brown.

Crush the spices roughly and add them, with the rest of the ingredients to
the meat mixture. Cook the mixture a few moments longer.

Mash the tomatoes a little and add them to the mixture in the pan. Continue
cooking the mixture over a high flame for about 10 minutes, stirring it
from time to time so that it does not stick. It should be almost dry.

Prepare the tomato broth:

Blend the tomatoes, with the juice extracted from their seeds, with the
onion and garlic until smooth.

Melt the lard and fry the tomato puree over a high flame for about 3
minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Add the rest of the ingredients and
cook them over a high flame for about 5 minutes, stirring.

Add the pork broth and continue cooking the broth over a medium flame for
about 15 minutes. By that time it will be well seasoned and reduced
somewhat--but still a broth rather than a thick sauce. Add salt as
necessary.

Prepare the chiles:

Put the chiles straight onto a fairly high flame or under the broiler--not
into the oven--and let the skin blister and burn. Turn the chiles from time
to time so they do not get overcooked or burn right through.

Wrap the chiles in a damp cloth or plastic bag and leave them for 20
minutes. The burned skin will then flake off very easily and the flesh will
become a little more cooked in the steam.

Make a slit in the side of each chile and carefully remove the seeds and
veins. Be careful to leave the top of the chile, the part around the base
of the stem, intact. (If the chiles are too picante, let them soak in a
mild vinegar and water solution for about 30 minutes.) Rinse the chiles and
pat them dry.

Stuff the chiles until they are well filled out. If you are using bell
peppers, add some chopped fresh chile to make them a little picante. Set
them aside on paper toweling while you make the batter.

Prepare the batter:

Heat the oil until it starts to smoke.

Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until they are stiff, but not too dry. Add
the salt and egg yolks one by one, beating well after each addition.

Pat the chiles completely dry (or the batter will not adhere) and sprinkle
them lightly with flour. Coat them with the batter.

Fry the chiles in the hot fat, turning them from time to time, until they
are an even gold all over.

Drain the chiles on the paper toweling and place them in the tomato
broth--it should come about halfway up the chiles--to heat through over a
low flame.

Serve immediately.

Variation:

Chiles Rellenos De Queso (Chiles Stuffed With Cheese)

Follow the instructions for Chiles Rellenos but stuff the chiles with
slices of mozzarella or mild Cheddar cheese instead of the picadillo. In
Mexico the braided queso de Oaxaca is generally used.

NOTES : Entered into