Taco Mexicana

As every Instagram freak, clicking pictures to flaunt on my stories and make my viewers drool is mandatory. But what struck me is when I had ordered a yummy Tacos from TacoBell, I picturized it as something unusual (maybe). I felt the taco shells as a cradle and the fillings as a baby. I know it sounds cute but actually, the history of Tacos is terrific.

This dish had travelled ages from 1000 to 500 B.C without an actual name. This exciting spicy food was born in Mexico as “Tacos” that was served to the silver mine labourers. Do you know how gunpowder is wrapped so as to make it easy to be handled in a war or a mine? Yes, exactlyin thin sheets of paper! Inspired by that,the Tacos that we giggle and devour about, got its shape. Tacos belong to finger snack category which can be carried and consumed easily at workplace. As time passed, the stuffed crispy Tacos gained attention of America. Being a street-local food with a blend of spices, leaves, meat, or vegetables, it gained the tummy’s attention of the entire world. The amalgam of Mexican-American dishes have improvised themselves to various types like Breakfast Tacos, Soft / Hard Shell Tacos, Indian Tacos, Tacodillas, etc… In Mexico, like happy hours in a café/ bar, there is Taco Time where various tacos are to be eaten at a particular time. Quite exciting, right?

As dynamite and crazy its origin sounds, and extremely yummy and crispy it tastes, Tacos can be easily made at home. Especially craving for cafe food is hard to resist but why not try it out by ourselves? So here we go to Mexico staying in our own home.

INGREDIENTS

1. STUFFING

1	KIDNEY BEANS (RAJMA) SOAKED OVERNIGHT	1 Cup
2	WATER	2 CUPS (REQUIRED FOR PRESSURE COOKING)
3	SALT	FOR TASTE
4	RICE BOILED	½ CUP
5	CUMIN POWDER	½ TEASPOON
6	PEPPER POWDER	1 TEASPOON
7	BRAHMINS RED CHILLY POWDER	1 TEASPOON
8	CHOPPED GREEN CHILLY	1 OR 2 NO.S
9	LEMON JUICE	1 TABLESPOON
10	CORRIANDER LEAVES CHOPPED	1 TABLESPOON
11	BRAHMINS RED CHILLY FLAKES	1 TEASPOON

2. RED CHILLY SPREAD/HARISA PASTE

1	WATER	1 Cup
2	DRIED RED CHILLY	8 NO.S
3	CUMIN SEEDS	½ TEASPOON
4	GARLIC CLOVES	4 OR 5NO.S.
5	SALT	TO TASTE
6	LEMON JUICE	2 TEASPOONS
7	OLIVE OIL	2 TEASPOONS
8	CHOPPED CORRIANDER LEAVES	1 TABLESPOON
9	WATER	2 TEASPOONS ( to blend well)
10	VEG MAYYONAISE	3 OR 4 SPOONS

3. BATTER

1	MAIDA	½ CUP
2	CORNFLOUR	½ CUP
3	WATER	TO MAKE A SMOOTH BATTER
3	BREAD CRUMBS	FOR COATING

4. TACOS

1	PAROTTA SEMI COOKED / LACHA PARATTA	4 or 5 no.s

5. OTHER NECESSARY INGREDIENTS

1	OREGANO	FOR SEASONING
2	CHEESE (GRATED)	1 Cup
3	BUTTER	3TABLESPOON
3	VEGETABLE OIL	(FOR FRYING)

How to Prepare TACO MEXICANA

In a pressure cooker, putthe soaked Kidney Beans, 2 cups of water and salt to taste and cook on medium flame for 8 to 10 whistles.
Put the strained beans/rajma and the boiled rice into a mixing bowl and mix very well with hand.
After it gets soft and mushy, add all the other ingredients mentioned in table 1.
Mix it very welland roll it into patties (1 cm thick and 4 cm diameter in size) for frying.
Mix the maida, cornflour and water to make a very smooth batter of coating.
Take each patty and dip it inside the batter, and drop inside the bread crumbs for coating.
Shallow fry all of the patties and keep it aside.
In a pan, add 1 cup of water and the dried red chilly and boil for 5minutes.
In a blender, add the boiled chilly and all the ingredients mentioned in Table 2.
Make it a smooth paste and keep it aside in a bowl.
Add the mayonnaise to this red chilly paste, and mix well.
Take the semi-cooked paratta/chappathiand apply the red chilly-mayonnaise spread evenly on one side.
Sprinkle oregano and grated cheese on this.
Place 2 patties each on this side by side; sprinkle some more cheese and oreganoand fold the other half of the base over the stuffing so as to get a semicircle shape. *(for the taco shape)*
In a Tava, add a spoon of butter and cook both sides of taco on medium flame until crispy.
Hold it straight/ verticalwith a pair of tongs or two spoons and cook its base very well so as to maintain the shape.
Prepare the other Tacos similarly.
[Tacos can also be prepared in an oven by placing them on a greased tray and baking for about 5-8 minutes.]
Its ready to serve.

The juicy patty and the crispy Taco Mexicana would have spread its aroma all over the house. Get a cold shake or apiping hot tea, grab the taco and bite it off. Its droolworthy.