Welcome to another International Incident Party!  This time we head to Mexico and celebrate with with what is usually most people’s introduction to Mexican food – the taco.

But what exactly is a taco?  When a tortilla is filled and folded in two, it is a called a taco.  The corn tortilla has been around since before the conquest of Mexico. It formed an important part of the daily diet of both kings and workers in pre-hispanic Mexico.  Today wheat tortillas are nearly as common as corn ones and the taco is a well known and loved street food.

To many people, a taco is a corn tortilla bent in half to form a deep U shape, then fried crisp and stuffed to overflowing with minced beef, shredded iceberg lettuce, sliced tomato, and grated cheese.   You’ve seen them in Tex-Mex fast food franchises like Taco Bell and in the pre-packaged kits in the supermarket.  Throughout Mexico, however the simple taco consumed by millions of people daily is a fresh, hot, often soft tortilla rolled or folded around some slow cooked shredded meat or mashed beans or seafood and liberally doused with any one of the endless variety of sauces for which Mexico is justly famed, but which are sadly misrepresented in favour of the Tex-Mex variety.  Tacos are usually eaten as a snack between meals, in the evening with a bowl of soup for supper, or as an entrée before the main meal of the day.  I have steered away from the Tex-Mex style and gone for two fillings that have a Baja California influence.

Prawn tacos with jicama slaw

Tacos

32  green medium king prawns, peeled and cleaned
1 tsp  each ground cumin, ground allspice and chilli powder
2 tbsp  vegetable oil
1  small red onion, finely chopped
2  cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2  vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1  lime, juiced
¼ cup  coarsely chopped coriander
To serve: tortillas (I used wheat but corn would be fine), avocado sliced into wedges, limes and sour cream

Jicama slaw

1 (285gm)  jicama, peeled and cut into julienne
1  baby cos, finely shredded
1  fresh green serrano or other long green chilli, seeded and thinly sliced
1/3 cup  finely chopped coriander
1  lime, juiced
¼ cup  vegetable oil
¼ tsp  chilli powder

Place prawns, cumin, allspice, ½ tsp chilli powder and 2 tbsp oil in a glass bowl, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

For jicama slaw, place jicama, cos, green chilli and coriander in a bowl, season to taste and stir to combine. Add dressing to jicama mixture and toss gently.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan, add onion, garlic, tomatoes, lime juice and remaining chilli powder and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until soft, then season to taste.

Barbecue or char-grill prawns for 4-5 minutes or until cooked through, then transfer to tomato mixture, add coriander and stir to combine. Barbecue or char-grill tortillas, for 30 seconds on each side or until just warm and lightly golden, then transfer to a plate and cover with a tea towel to keep warm.

Serve warm tortillas, prawn and tomato mixture, jicama slaw, avocado, lime halves and sour cream separately for everyone to assemble their own tacos.

Shredded Beef Tacos

800 gm  beef brisket or chuck, cut into 5cm pieces
1  onion, thinly sliced
3  cloves of garlic
¼ cup  lard or vegetable oil
480 gm (about 3)  vine-ripened tomatoes, roasted, peeled and chopped
2  green onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp  chilli powder
1  long green chilli, thinly sliced

Place beef in a large saucepan, add enought water to cover, add 1 tsp sea salt and bring to the boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, skimming scum from surface. Add half the onion and half a clove of garlic to pan, partially cover and simmer for 3 hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat from broth, reserving broth, and finely shred using two forks.

Finely chop remaining garlic and set aside. Heat lard over medium heat in a large heavy-based frying pan, add beef and remaining onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until onion is soft and beef browns slightly. Add garlic, tomato, green onion, chilli powder and green chilli and cook for 2 minutes or until tomato softens. Add 180ml of reserved broth and cook for 10-15 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve spooned into warm tortillas.

Wheat Tortillas

Makes 20
3 cups bread flour
120 gm  lard

Place flour in a large bowl, add lard and, using fingertips, rub until combined, then make a well in the centre.  Combine 1 tsp sea salt with 1 cup water, pour into well and mix until combined.  Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, cover with plastic wrap and stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Heat a hotplate or large heavy-based frying pan over low heat. Roll tablespoons of dough into 1mm-2mm-thick, 15cm-diameter circles and cook, in batches, for 1-2 minutes each side or until just coloured.  Cover with a tea towel to keep warm.

Don’t forget to check out what the rest of the crew has made: