Epicuriosity
An iconic Oaxacan street snack, the tlayuda journey begins with a very large, thin, crispy corn tortilla that is baked on a comal or wood grill. The tortilla is covered with refried or pureed beans and other toppings. The most common version Oaxaca has is asiento (unrefined pork lard), shredded lettuce or cabbage, avocado, strips of meat (tasajo or cecina are most common), quesillo (Oaxacan string cheese) and salsa. Served both pan-cooked and grilled, the beauty of this traditional dish that usually serves two is its bold flavours and generous toppings of good quality Mexican produce. Though the origin of the dish is hard to crack — older folk believe it dates to the preHispanic times — the word tlayuda traditionally refers to a very large tortilla, which it is. Usually hand-made (till date), the dish looks simple yet is a delicacy that needs hours of back-bending work of grinding corn, lot of hand-slapping and patience. An authentic tlayuda is placed in a basket encased with palm leaves and steamed. Steaming lends the tlayuda its unique texture: crunchy but pliable, with a distinct char. Such was the addiction of this Mexican food mascot that over time, it became synonymous with delicious, artisanal street food.
Tlayuda in all its simplistic glory is the preferred way to taste some of the best Mexican produce like the black bean. A good one is always baked on a hot plate and finished in live charcoal. Some are folded into half, like calzones and cooked. Any topping from pulled chicken or Mexican chorizo or charred corn works well. It is more like Mexican Pizza!
Charred Corn & Jalapenos Tlayudas with green tomato salsa, chilli lime avocado and sour cream Preparation time 10 minutes, cooking time 20 minutes, serves 2 portions
INGREDIENTS
Corn Tortillas 8” 2 pieces Refried Black Beans 4 tbsp
Olive oil 1 tbsp
Charred Corn 2 tbsp
Bell peppers (chopped) 2 tbsp Fresh jalapenos (sliced) 1 piece Quesillo/Mozzarella 4 tbsp
Pico de gallo, for garnish 2 tbsp Green tomato salsa 2 tbsp
Chilli lime avocado 2 tbsp Lettuce *(shredded) for garnish 2 tbsp Sour cream, for garnish 2 tbsp Cilantro leaves, ac handful, for garnish ¼ bunch
METHOD