Tacos
Tacos are the soul of Mexican street food, a tradition far older than the 20th century, traceable to colonial-era silver mines where workers wrapped meat in corn tortillas for their midday meal. The authentic street taco base is a nixtamalised corn tortilla — never wheat — charred directly over a gas flame until it blisters and picks up smoky notes. Simplicity is the doctrine: meat, fresh pico de gallo, cilantro, and lime — every ingredient visible, nothing buried under sauce.
Street taco base
Corn tortilla only — flour is not authentic
Char over flame
Direct gas flame gives the smoky, blistered tortilla
Fresh pico de gallo
Tomato, white onion, cilantro — no jarred salsa here
Lime at the end
Fresh lime juice transforms every taco
Ingredients 4 servings
- 500g ground beef (80% lean)
- 8 small corn tortillas (15cm)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 ripe tomatoes, finely diced (for pico de gallo)
- 1 small white onion, finely diced
- Fresh cilantro, lime wedges, salsa, and sour cream for serving
- Salt and black pepper
How to make it
- 1Brown the ground beef in a dry skillet over high heat, breaking it into fine crumbles — do not stir too much at first so the meat develops colour.
- 2Drain excess fat.
- 3Add cumin, paprika, salt and pepper; cook 2 more minutes.
- 4Warm the corn tortillas: hold them directly over a gas flame for 15 seconds per side until they blister and char lightly, or dry-toast in a hot pan.
- 5For quick pico de gallo: toss diced tomato with diced onion, a pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lime.
- 6Double-stack two tortillas per taco to prevent splitting.
- 7Spoon on the seasoned beef, then top with pico de gallo, cilantro leaves, a squeeze of lime, and salsa or sour cream to taste.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
