The taco is a flavor that has spread from Mexico to the entire world. With its popularity rising especially in America, the opening of taco shops and the branding of tacos have attracted great interest. Particularly since the 1960s, as it became widespread globally, people developed a curiosity to make tacos at home.
This leads to a common question: How to make a taco? Of course, fast food options, quick and ready-to-eat meals, are available in markets. Packaged products, especially in densely populated countries, have unfortunately caused people to forget about home cooking and preparing meals at home over time. However, this has brought dishes like tacos back into the spotlight as something people can prepare themselves at home, turning it into a fun family activity or event.
Just as people always feel the need and desire to replicate the food they eat outside at home, tacos have made a place in memories as a practical dish that frequently appears at entertaining gatherings, evening parties, or quality family time. This often raises questions like How to make a taco, Can tacos be made at home?
Tacos are easy and fun and resemble traditional pastries from many countries. In our country, we also have some foods similar to tacos that have spread worldwide. This similarity makes it easier for people to embrace tacos, incorporate them into their kitchens, and place them on their tables. In this article, we will explore What is a taco, How to make a taco, and what taco dough is made of. However, to avoid any difficulties in preparing tacos at home, we will recommend using Kral Gıda’s Kral Tortilla as we continue to answer the question of how to make tacos.
What is a Taco? How to Make a Taco?
Before answering the question How to make a taco in detail, we can also address the question of what a taco is. Although tacos have a large fan base and have entered many cuisines worldwide, there may still be people who have never tasted or heard of them. A taco is a dish of Mexican origin. It is one of the practical foods that can be quickly prepared and eaten on the go, often found in festive settings and referred to as light finger foods worldwide. Tacos are traditionally made using cornmeal, staying true to their original recipe.
With a crispy shell filled with light, fresh seafood like shrimp, grilled meats, garnishes like tomatoes and onions, and a must-have Mexican sauce, tacos are a cultural food. Today, tacos are recognized in our country and around the world as a dish that can be recreated and reinvented with each cuisine’s unique ingredients. It is undoubtedly a flavor that everyone should try. While people’s differing tastes might lead to an initial lack of appreciation, this should not deter anyone from enjoying tacos. Given that you can fill them with almost anything, they offer endless possibilities to cater to your taste preferences, making them an incredible dish worth a try.
What Are Tacos Made Of?
To correctly answer the question How to make a taco, it is essential to first understand what tacos are made of. Tacos resemble the classic wraps in our country, which are a kind of sandwich. Globally, many dishes are made with thin flatbreads, filled with various ingredients, and rolled or folded for serving. Tacos are one such dish. When asked how to make a taco, it could simply be described as a small bread. However, tacos have distinct features due to their smaller size, the unique cornmeal in their dough, and the variety of fillings, spices, and sauces they contain, which set them apart from other wraps or sandwiches.
Tacos are essentially made up of four main components. The first is the crispy bread or tortilla. The second is the filling, often made from fresh meats, fish, or shrimp. The third is the garnishes, and the fourth is the indispensable sauces. To make an authentic Mexican taco, cornmeal is the primary ingredient. If wheat flour is used instead, it leads to varieties known as Texan tacos or American tacos.
Taco Dough
Although tacos are now commonly available in ready-made packages, many people are curious about how to make them and enjoy preparing them at home. While the availability of ready-made products on store shelves offers convenience, many still find making dough-based dishes at home healthier and more enjoyable. Taco dough can be prepared in two ways. Those who want to stay true to the Mexican tradition use cornmeal, while wheat flour is used for the more Americanized version of tacos. To make tacos, the first step is preparing the tortilla, which is the dough base.
For Mexican-style dough, wheat flour, extra virgin olive oil, warm water, and salt are sufficient. After mixing the warm water and flour, olive oil and salt are added to create a soft dough. The dough is divided into equal portions, and each portion is rolled into 6-7 cm circles. The key to this dough is that it comes together quickly with heat, creating tortillas that are moist, fresh, and steamy. The tortillas are then filled with fresh fish, shrimp, grilled chicken, beef, garnishes like cilantro, onion, eggs, and beans, and served with salsa sauce, provided it is not overly spicy.
For American-style tacos, wheat flour is used. This results in baked or fried tortillas shaped into a U, making them crispy and firm. They are filled with cheese, creams, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, various meats, and sour products before being served. The key to making tacos lies in the tortilla, filling, and sauce. The choice between staying true to tradition or trying the popular version depends entirely on individual preference.
Taco Garnishes and Fillings
Nowadays, virtually any ingredient can be added to tacos. Straying from their traditional simplicity, they now feature more variety and garnishes, including fruits, cheese, sour cream, and melted ingredients, transforming them into a more Americanized dish. Since the first taco shop was opened in 1962 in America to keep people from going to Mexican neighborhoods, tacos have gradually moved away from their Mexican roots. Nevertheless, tacos, like wraps and sandwiches, have long surpassed the phase of diversification and evolution. The choice of garnishes and fillings is entirely shaped by individual taste.
Is Salsa Sauce Necessary?
Salsa is often used as a general term for sauces. Today, salsa is a common side product, found in everything from fast food to home-cooked meals and special dips for chips. For tacos, salsa is not necessarily mandatory. However, considering the crispy shell and its fillings, a sauce serves as a complementary element. In a dish where personal preference plays such a significant role, the sauce can vary widely. Most recipes for how to make tacos include salsa sauce.
As it turns out, preparing tacos is extremely simple, yet it is just as practical and fun. There is always room for enjoyment in the kitchen. Especially when talking about a cuisine as rich and flavorful as Mexico’s, a symphony of color and taste is inevitable. With their tortillas, garnishes, and sauces, whether with meat or vegetarian fillings, tacos are an indispensable part of international cuisine. The answer to how to make tacos lies in your own experiences! If you haven’t tried making tacos yet, bring together your favorite flavors and treat yourself to a taco.