When you hear the word taco, what comes to mind? For many Brits, their first introduction to tacos were those crispy yellow shells filled with chilli con carne and topped with shredded lettuce and cheese. Take a trip to Mexico, however and those yellow tacos are nowhere to be seen.
In Mexico tacos are made using a soft corn tortilla (which is definitely not bright yellow) and usually filled with meat. In Mexico tacos are everywhere, often made from scratch with corn flavour, they come with a whole variety of fillings and flavours. There are some tacos that are deep-fried, called tacos dorados or golden tacos but despite their name they are nowhere near the yellow colour of those crispy taco shells.
It turns out that Glen Bell, of US fast food chain, Taco Bell fame was heavily involved in this reinvention of the Mexican taco into something deep-fried and filled with chilli. He may not have invented this new taco shell (there are some others also competing for that crown) but he certainly made it popular. This creation came out of a need to make fast food really fast. Apparently, having a pre-fried taco eliminated the time it took to heat the tortilla. Taco purists, however, will tell you in no uncertain terms that these taco shells are not ‘real’ tacos.
Authentic Mexican style tacos are a taste sensation. They are simple to make and you can be as creative as you like. Here’s one Kankuntastic idea:
Take thin slices of the meat of your choice and marinate them in Kankun’s Mexican Marinade sauce. Leave the meat to soak in the rich flavours for at least two hours (or overnight). Once the meat is ready, cook it up with some onions and pile it into the middle of a warm corn tortilla. Sprinkle with chopped coriander, squeeze on some lime juice, spice with your choice of Kankun salsa and then wrap up the edges and get ready for a delicious treat.