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Bring the real Mexican street experience to your kitchen with these Tacos de Canasta. They've got that special moist feel and rich taste that comes from steaming in their own heat. They're perfect when you need to feed lots of people without much hassle.
I stumbled on these special tacos during my Mexico City visit when I saw folks carrying baskets of these ready-made goodies on bikes. Now that I've got the recipe just right, it's what I always make for my Mexican dinner parties.
Ingredients
- Corn tortillas: go for fresh ones to get that real taste and feel
- Salsa verde: brings a zingy kick that works against the meaty fillings
- Sliced onion: gets wonderfully soft during the steam time
- Potatoes: make for a filling that stays just wet enough
- Mexican chorizo: adds the needed fat and spice throughout
- White onion and garlic: they're the base flavors in all good Mexican cooking
- Guajillo peppers: give a gentle heat and that dirt-like taste we love
- Canola oil: helps make that special oil that gives these tacos their unique softness
- Bay leaves: put a hint of herb flavor in the oil mix
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Potato Filling:
- Get your potatoes boiling till a fork goes in easily, then mash them with butter and milk. Don't make them too smooth - they need some body to hold moisture without turning your tortillas into mush.
- Cook the Chorizo Mixture:
- Get that chorizo nice and brown in a pan until it's a bit crispy on the edges. This makes all the good flavors come out. Throw in your mashed potatoes, chopped onions, and crushed garlic, and mix it all up really well. Add some salt and pepper, then cook it five more minutes so everything tastes good together.
- Create the Signature Oil Salsa:
- Cook onion, garlic, and those special peppers until they get some nice brown spots. This makes the flavor much better. Pour in your canola oil and drop in those bay leaves, letting everything bubble away until it smells amazing. Put it all in a blender until smooth, then strain it carefully. Heat the oil back up a little before you use it.
- Assemble Your Tacos:
- Get your tortillas warm so they bend without breaking. Put a small amount of your filling down the middle of each one - don't stuff them too full. Fold them in half and put them in rows in your basket or pot.
- Create the Steaming Environment:
- Put sliced onions on top of your tacos, then cover with butcher paper to soak up extra wetness. Keep making layers of tacos, onions, and paper until you've used everything up. Pour your warm flavored oil over the whole thing. Wrap it all up tight in a plastic bag, then wrap that in towels to keep the heat in. Let it sit for a whole hour without peeking.
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Those guajillo peppers really are what makes this dish special. My grandma would take her time picking out just the right peppers at the market. She always said their tough skin and deep red color meant they'd taste the best. Even now, I can hear her telling me to take out all the seeds so the heat stays just right.
Storage and Reheating
These tacos stay good for about 8 hours just sitting out because of the oil coating and steam process. Street vendors came up with this trick so they could make food early for their lunch crowds. If you need to keep them longer, put them in the fridge but take off the towels first. When you want to eat them, let them warm up to room temp, then heat them in a covered pan with a splash of water to make some steam.
Regional Variations
You'll find different takes on Tacos de Canasta depending where you go in Mexico. In Tlaxcala, folks use hotter chorizo and often mix beans with the potatoes. Around Guadalajara, they like to use shredded beef or spicy chicken as fillings instead. Mexico City has the most famous version, where each seller has their own special oil mix, sometimes with achiote or chile morita to make the color and taste stand out.
Serving Suggestions
On the streets, these tacos don't need much extra stuff since people eat them while walking around. But at your house, you can set up a little station with finely chopped white onion, fresh cilantro, some lime pieces, and hot sauce. They taste great with cold Mexican beer or sweet horchata. Try serving them with cucumber slices splashed with lime juice and salt or a light cabbage mix on the side.
The Basket Tradition
These tacos got their name from how vendors carried them around. They'd make the tacos early morning, stack them in cloth-lined baskets, and bike them to busy spots. The basket kept them warm while the cloth and paper handled the moisture. It was a smart way to serve hot food without needing any electricity. You can use a regular pot and get good results, but a real basket works better for air flow and makes the whole thing more authentic.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → What's the process for making the filling?
Cook potatoes in salted water until tender, smash them, then stir in cooked chorizo, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper. Let it all cook together for five minutes.
- → What does the oil salsa do?
It adds juiciness and intense flavor to the tacos, letting the tortillas soak up the richness. The salsa is made with roasted guajillo peppers, garlic, onions, and bay leaves.
- → Why use butcher paper in layering?
Butcher paper handles the salsa drips and keeps the tacos moist while they rest in the basket or pot.
- → How do I arrange the tacos in the basket?
Start by lining a basket or pot with foil, a towel, plastic, and butcher paper. Stack the tacos with salsa and paper in layers before sealing tightly.
- → How long should I let the tacos rest?
Leave the sealed basket of tacos alone for about one hour so the flavors blend and the salsa saturates the tortillas.
- → Are there alternative fillings I can use?
Of course! Stuff them with shredded chicken, refried beans, mushrooms, or any filling you prefer.