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Tlayudas
Oaxaca's giant crisp tortilla with black beans, stringy quesillo and cabbage
The tlayuda is the late-night street food of Oaxaca City: a huge, thin, slightly leathery corn tortilla spread with black bean paste and asiento (unrefined pork lard), scattered with quesillo (Oaxaca string cheese) and cabbage, folded and toasted over charcoal until crisp and smoky. This vegetarian version swaps the asiento for browned butter, which gives the same toasty richness, and is topped with avocado, tomato and salsa. Real tlayudas are about 30 cm across and hard to find outside Oaxaca; use the largest corn tortillas you can get, or flour tortillas of 25 cm (then they are not gluten free). Quesillo is made with animal rennet in Oaxaca; for a vegetarian dish use low-moisture mozzarella or a string cheese made with vegetarian rennet. Chef's tip: spread the beans thinly; a thick layer makes the tortilla soggy and stops it crisping.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the black beans
For the tlayudas
To serve
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook ½ white onion for 4 minutes until soft, then add 2 cloves garlic for 1 minute.
5 minStep 2: Add 1 lb cooked black beans with their liquid, 2 dried avocado leaves if using, and ¾ tsp salt. Mash with a potato masher and cook, stirring, for 6–8 minutes until it is a thick, smooth paste that holds its shape on a spoon. Remove the leaves.
8 minStep 3: Melt 1 ⅜ oz unsalted butter in a small pan over a medium heat and let it foam until it smells nutty and the milk solids turn hazelnut brown, about 3 minutes. This stands in for Oaxacan asiento.
3 minStep 4: Heat a large dry frying pan or comal over a medium heat. Warm one of 4 large corn tortillas for 30 seconds a side until pliable, then brush the top with browned butter.
1 minStep 5: Spread a thin layer of beans all over the tortilla. Scatter a quarter of 7 oz Oaxaca cheese and a handful of 5 ½ oz white cabbage over one half, then fold it in half and press firmly.
1 minStep 6: Toast for 2–3 minutes a side, pressing with a spatula, until the outside is crisp and blistered and the cheese inside has melted. In Oaxaca this happens over charcoal; a cast-iron pan gets you close. Keep warm in a low oven while you make the rest.
6 minStep 7: Open each tlayuda or cut it into wedges and top with 1 avocado, 2 tomatoes and ½ cup salsa roja. Eat with your hands.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 23 g
- Carbs
- 56 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 15 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tlayudas take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of white onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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