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Tacos de canasta
Mexico City's steamed 'basket' tacos with potato and bean fillings (tacos sudados)
From about nine in the morning, bicycles with a wicker basket strapped behind the seat roll into Mexico City offices and street corners, and the cry of 'tacos de canasta' goes up. Inside the basket, wrapped in cloth and plastic, a hundred small tacos have steamed in their own heat for hours, so the tortillas turn soft, glossy and slightly sticky with chilli-red oil. They are cheap, sold by the handful, and eaten with green salsa from a jar on the bike. The usual fillings are potato, refried beans, adobo and chicharrón prensado (pressed pork rind); this recipe makes the two vegetarian ones and leaves out the pork. Chef's tip: an insulated cool box lined with a tea towel does the same job as the basket and keeps them hot for two hours.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the potato filling
For the bean filling
To assemble
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What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (4)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Boil 1 ⅛ lb starchy potatoes, such as Maris Piper or russet in salted water for 15 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance. Meanwhile soak 3 dried guajillo chillies in boiling water for 10 minutes until soft.
15 minStep 2: Blend the soaked chillies with 2 garlic cloves, ¾ tsp salt and 4 tablespoons of their soaking water into a smooth red paste. Drain the potatoes and mash them roughly with the paste and the rest of the salt. It should be a thick, orange, spreadable mash.
Step 3: Warm 14 oz refried black or pinto beans, made with oil in a pan, stirring, until thick enough to hold a ridge when you drag a spoon through. Let both fillings cool a little.
5 minStep 4: Heat ½ cup vegetable oil in a small pan over a medium heat, add 1 white onion and fry for 8 minutes until the onion is golden. Strain the oil and keep it hot; the onion can go on the tacos or be eaten by the cook.
8 minStep 5: Line an insulated cool box, a lidded pot or a basket with a large tea towel over a sheet of baking paper. Heat 24 small corn tortillas (12 cm) on a dry comal for 15 seconds a side so they are pliable.
Step 6: Spread 1 heaped tablespoon of filling over half of each tortilla, fold it over and lay it in the lined box, packing the tacos tightly in overlapping rows. After every layer, brush or spoon over some of the hot onion oil. Common mistake: using cold tortillas or leaving gaps between tacos; they stay dry and never 'sweat'.
Step 7: When all the tacos are in, pour any remaining hot oil over the top, fold the towel over, close the lid and leave for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours. They are ready when the tortillas are soft, shiny and slightly translucent.
30 minStep 8: Serve 4 tacos per person straight from the box with ¾ cup salsa verde and 1 tbsp pickled jalapeños. Eat with your hands.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tacos de canasta take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of starchy potatoes, such as maris piper or russet?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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