Mexican Tacos
This is a super tasty recipe that is absolutely banging with flavour. It makes a great interactive family meal where everyone can make their tacos as they like them.
Takes
Serves 4
Ingredients
Tempeh Shawarma
- 300 g block of tempeh
- 3 tbsp tamari
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp oil
Salsa
- 10 cherry tomatoes ideally multicoloured
- 1/3 cucumber 100g
- 1 small red onion
- Generous pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Guacamole
- 2 avocados
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 small red onion optional
- 1 tomato
- 1 lime
- Pinch of salt
Refried Beans
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small red onion
- 1 x 400g tin of black beans
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp chilli/cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- Small bunch fresh coriander
- Juice of 1 lime
Chilli Mayo
- 3 tbsp vegan mayo
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- 1 level tsp chilli flakes
Homemade Tacos
- 1 x 12 oz mug of corn masa
- 0.75 x 12 oz mug of water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C (fan).
- Prepare tempeh: Chop the tempeh into large chunks (we chopped it into 12 pieces). By slicing it into thin pieces, the marinade will infuse deeper into the tempeh. Mix all the remaining ingredients for the shawarma sauce in a bowl: tamari, maple syrup, smoked paprika, ground cumin, and oil. Pour over the tempeh and mix well so that each piece is well covered. Transfer the marinated tempeh to a baking tray, spreading it out evenly. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, turning it once during baking to ensure both sides cook evenly.
- Prepare salsa: Chop the cucumber and cherry tomatoes into small, similarly sized pieces and add to a bowl. Peel and finely slice the red onion, then add the salt, black pepper, and oil, mixing well.
- Prepare guacamole: Remove the flesh from the skin and stone of the avocado and chop it into small pieces. Add to a bowl, discarding the skin and stone. Slice the avocado in half, remove the stone, use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, then chop on a board. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves. Chop the tomatoes into small pieces and squeeze in the juice of the lime. Mix well with a fork, mashing to your desired consistency.
- Prepare refried beans: Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat a non-stick pan on high and add 1 tbsp oil. Once hot, add the onion and fry until it starts to brown, stirring regularly (approx. 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, then add the beans and mix well. Add the spices: ground cumin, ground coriander, cayenne/chilli pepper, black pepper, and salt. Mix thoroughly. Finely chop the fresh coriander and add with the juice of 1 lime, mixing through. If it looks dry, add 1 tbsp of water and incorporate. Use the back of a wooden spoon to mash the beans until it forms a paste-like consistency. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Prepare chilli mayo: In a bowl, combine the vegan mayo, chilli powder, and chilli flakes. Mix well.
- Finish tempeh: Remove the tempeh from the oven once it’s starting to brown. Slice into thin long strips, like a Shawarma. These strips add a lovely texture to the tacos.
- Prepare tacos: In a bowl, add the corn masa and make a well in the centre. Pour the water into the well and mix until it all incorporates into a large dough ball. Divide the dough into 6 small balls. Place a sheet of baking parchment in your taco press, add one of the corn masa balls, and close the press to flatten it into a perfectly shaped taco. Cook on a hot pan on low to medium heat, cooking on both sides until it starts to brown. Repeat with the remaining balls.
- Assemble tacos: For each taco, start with a dollop of chilli mayo, then add any combination of the prepared toppings to your liking. You can’t go wrong—everything is super tasty!
