Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Put the chilies in a medium bowl and add enough of the boiling water to cover them by 1 inch. Soak the chilies until soft, about 30 minutes. Remove their stems, transfer them to a blender or food processor, add 1 cup of their soaking liquid, and process until smooth.

Meanwhile, put 3 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the almonds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, and sesame seeds and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the anise seeds, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, puréed chilies, and 1 cup water. Cover partially, bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the chocolate. Cool slightly, then transfer the sauce to the blender or food processor and process until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. (At this point, you can store the mole sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to several days.)

Put the remaining 1 cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add one of the tortillas to the pan; it should sizzle immediately. Cook for a few seconds, then turn and cook on the other side just until it begins to puff up, another few seconds. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Heat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9- by 13-inch pan. Put about 2 tablespoons of the cheese in the lower third of one of the tortillas, and then roll it up tightly. Transfer the tortilla, seam down, to the greased pan. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas. (It’s OK to nestle the tortillas snugly.) Pour the mole sauce over the tortillas, spreading it evenly to the edges of the pan. Bake the enchiladas until hot and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Garnish with cilantro if desired, and serve hot or warm.