On one of my previous posts, I mentioned the relationship I have with my mother. She lives in Honduras, and when I go visit her, I try to bring something of hers with me. The previous recipe was pupusas. Well, she also makes Honduran-style tacos that I find delicious and easy to make.
These easy-to-make tacos will leave you asking for more. Photo credit: Patti Galeas
I learned this recipe this past summer. She runs her own restaurant in this small neighborhood where everyone knows who she is and loves her food. The restaurant itself is small, but her food definitely makes up for that. Usually, she has someone who helps her cook because it can get rather hectic. I don’t recall exactly what happened that day, but her helper couldn’t go in, so I stepped in and volunteered to help her. I figured this would be great mother-daughter bonding time. We both gossip while cooking, it’s our “thing.” The heat and humidity though made the task that much harder on me. I have extremely curly hair, and I’m not accustomed to the sticky humidity. Nonetheless, I put all that aside and I learned how to make these tacos. I have to say, Hondurans have some of the best dishes. I can never get enough when I go. To make the tacos, you’re going to need the following:
- 1 lb. of ground beef
- Half cabbage
- Salt and Pepper
- Oregano
- 8 ounces of tomato paste
- Water
- Tortillas
Finely shred the cabbage and put it on the side. In a pan, darken the ground beef with salt and pepper. Add the tomato paste and a cup of water. Mix together for a couple of minutes. Add the shredded cabbage to the pan. The heat will make it tender. Make sure to mix the meat and cabbage well. If you need more water, go ahead and add it until everything in the pan is evenly flavored and cooked.
Once the meat is done, go ahead and grab your tortillas and warm them on the griddle. Grab about a tablespoon of the meat and cabbage (or base it on your preference) and place it on the tortilla and roll it. You can use a toothpick and insert it in the middle of the taco to make sure the tortilla doesn’t fall apart when you place it on the frying pan. Fry each taco for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
To eat them, I usually make tomato salsa from the leftover 4 ounces of tomato paste. I put the paste in a boiling pot and add water, oregano, salt and pepper. I prefer a semi-thick consistency, but you can choose that depending on your preference. I let it simmer and then cool. I add the salsa to the tacos and sprinkle finely shredded cheese on top.
The cabbage creates a difference in the flavor. It blends well with the meat and spices. It’s something very simple to make but very tasty. I can probably eat four or five tacos in one sitting, and yet feel like I have room for more.
Cooking With a Touch of Sol 