TACOS, WITH A TWIST

Trust the best of international delicacies to find their desi interpretations in India. On World Taco Day today, here’s a look at our IndoMexican hybrids

Indians are famous for their warmth and welcoming nature. We are known to adapt foreign cultures with much ease and that is not restricted only to people and languages but also foreign food. Take for instance, Chinese cuisine. We have managed to alter the cuisine into desi Chinese that caters to our spice-loving taste buds.

The Mexican dish, Taco, also seems to have been on a similar journey. With the rampant influence of western culture resulting in the eternal evolution of Indian fare, and the bravado of Indians trying new cuisines having piqued, tacos have also experienced quite a makeover.

“Sometimes, ideas for dishes originate from beyond our borders, executed within the Indian context,” says chef Thomas Zacharias.

From corn tortillas holding sumptuous pork vindaloo to ragda laden puris, chefs are donning the sombrero to innovate their own signature tacos. From chaat-inspired Ragda Tacos to the best of South-Indian spices in a crisy taco shell, there’s quite a variety that’s available these days.

Adding local flavour to international dishes is an increasing trend. “It is one of the ways progressive Indian restaurants function, where we take a famous dish, Indianise it like using local ingredients or techniques,” says chef Saurabh Udinia.

On Taco Day today, we look at some hybrid versions.