Oscar Cheng (9) | Staff Reporter
The taco has been around for centuries, yet many have yet to experience the pure flavour of authentic tacos. Tacos are one of the many dishes in Mexican cuisine and they feature filled corn tortillas.
Many tacos are appropriated to accommodate American palettes. These appropriated tacos are what come to mind when we think about tacos. The most well-known types of appropriated tacos are Tex-Mex style and Dessert style tacos. They are known for their diverse overflowing ingredients and distinctive taste.
Appropriated tacos use all shorts of shells – from hard and crispy to sweet and crunchy. From flour based to waffle based, appropriated tacos never fail to add a pound or two. Modern tortillas have forgotten their soft and chewy origins.
These overstuffed tacos require more time, effort, and money. Not only are handfuls of ingredients put into appropriated tacos, but a handful of toppings are added too, taking away from the original idea of simplicity. Although still quite fulfilling, the first bite into one of these tacos can be quite a mess.
Authentic tacos are small and flavourful, little delights that remain unknown to many taco enjoyers. Their contents and toppings are highly nutritious and digestible, ranging from classic salsa to edible critters.
What’s more is that authentic tacos have special ingredients, which is sure to surprise the customer, whether they’re vegan, vegetarian or omnivorous! In authentic tacos, the meat variety is enough to turn one away from ground beef tacos. Authentic tacos commonly use; chicken, pork, fish, goat and lamb. And for our vegan and vegetarian friends, authentic tacos sometimes use an ingredient known as huitlacoche, a fungus that grows off of corn rich in protein, fibre, and the amino acid lysine. Huitlacoche grows on corn during the rainy season and is said to have a mushroomy taste.
The soft shells of authentic tacos are made with corn tortillas. Made from a special process known as nixtamalization. Nixtamalization processes corn kernels that have been soaked in quicklime for around 14-18 hours and have been rinsed several times into dough. After a tortilla has been formed out of the dough, it is then cooked on a comal (Mexican cast-iron griddle), which makes the tortilla soft and easily digestible.
Originally authentic tacos were created for simple, affordable and nutritious lunches. Initially associated with the lower class, they were simple low-investment meals with fundamental ingredients within and toppings atop.
However, after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, tacos were seen in a new light. The Spanish conquistadors brought with them new livestock and dairy. Tacos were introduced to cheese and the rest of the society.
Appropriated tacos may be tasty, but it’s important to remember their origins. The jury would like to mention that as history is bound to repeat itself, the return of authentic taco prominence is inevitable. And with that, the judge’s final verdict is if you’re looking for a taco go for authentic Mexican!
