Tacos are like a universal language and because of the wide range of options which people around the world have when it comes to filling a taco, they are literally one of the world’s most favorite foods. Unfortunately with foods like this, which end up becoming somewhat universal, they can often get a little bit ruined by others. A perfect example of these dangers would be the chocolate and marshmallow pizza, quite the abomination. And so today we are going to discuss the simplicity of the traditional taco, and what the keys are to getting it right, let’s go in.
Tortilla
As my good friend and taco expert Javier Burillo often tells me, there is no way that a taco, if making it traditionally, should even come near a hard shell, always remember that. In reality what you should be using is a corn tortilla, which can be large but if we are going super traditional, around the size of your hand. Hard shell and flour tortillas have no place here.
Filling
This is where one can get a little flexible, when it comes to the filling of the taco. What we are talking about here is the main content of the taco, not the additional garnishes and condiments which are later added. And so there is an incredible range of choice here which you can decide between from meat to fish, tofu to tempeh, and even something a little bit more special such as a campechano, which is a mixture of meats. Sweet tacos are not a thing so keep all of that sugary stuff away, if you are going to use a mixture of meats then keep it complimentary such as chicken and chorizo.
Extras
Traditionally speaking you will add raw onions which have been diced, fresh cilantro which has been finely chopped, the fresher the better, as well as some spicy salsa and plenty of lime juice. This is no place for any condiments like ranch, mustard, ketchup or anything of the sort, not if you are going traditional anyway. There is also a case for some particular meats, to be dressed with guacamole or even some radish and freshly chopped chilis, it depends very much on what level of heat you can handle.
Little and Often
The idea of traditional tacos is that you eat them little and often, they are snacks more than meals themselves. This is where those store bought taco kits have really changed what making tacos is all about, for the worse in my view. When you eat small tacos like this you can have 4 or 5 different styles in one sitting, or even just a small snack during the day.
As you can see, the taco in reality is a very humble and simple snack which you can eat at any time during the day. If you want to do things in the more traditional way, then this is exactly what you should be looking to achieve.
To read more on topics like this, check out the Foods category.
