Maybe you’ve visible tostadas at the menus of your preferred Mexican eating places or spied the flat shells at your grocery save. If you are thinking what a tostada is, exactly, we realize just the character to invite. We consulted Margarita Carrillo Arronte, a restaurateur, chef, global ambassador of Mexican cuisine and creator of The Mexican Vegetarian Cookbook.
What Is a Tostada?
A tostada is a flat, crispy corn tortilla that is generally layered with mashed or refried beans, protein, cheese and toppings such as lettuce, tomatoes, salsa and avocado. In Spanish, the phrase tostada manner toasted.
While the precise starting place of tostadas is uncertain, “it turned into a tortilla dry-roasted at the comal—a round Mexican griddle—before the Spaniards.
For explains Carrillo Arronte, It changed into deep-fried when they came and brought lard and oil. Nowadays, tostadas are nearly always deep-fried, however they also can be dry-roasted, she says. They are organized all over the u . S . A ., at the coast especially with seafood and in the relaxation of the united states with some other toppings.
Think of tostadas as a flat taco with a blank canvas. The toppings are unlimited, like tacos and tamales, Carrillo Arronte says. It can be refried beans or mashed, with some protein and a few finely sliced lettuce.
The sour cream, fresh cheese crumbles, avocado slices and salsa. Tostadas are a flexible, everywhere kind of meal. In Mexico, tostadas are bought from street food companies, organized at domestic or eaten at eating places, Carrillo Arronte says.
Tostada vs Chalupa: What’s the Difference?
Tostadas and chalupas are each made from corn, but Carrillo Arronte says that the main distinction is that tostadas are skinny and crispy, whereas chalupas are thicker, softer and smaller.
In addition, a chalupa, which means that boat in Spanish, has a moderate curve to its shape, and tostadas lie flat. Finally, tostadas are normally deep-fried (now and again dry-roasted on a comal), whereas chalupas are constantly cooked on a comal with lard.
How to Eat a Tostada?
Tostadas can be messy to consume, however Carrillo Arronte is adamant approximately the right manner to consume a tostada: Always together with your naked arms. Never with a fork and knife!
Use your thumb and pointer finger to pinch-grip the perimeters of the tostada and take small bites, starting with the facet that has the fewest substances and then slowly working your manner to the center.
Tostada Recipes: This riff pulls in a savory bean-and-pork mixture along crunchy, fresh shredded cabbage.
Pulled Chicken Tostadas: For a dinner that eats like a seven-layer-dip meets fowl tacos, appearance no in addition than these pulled bird tostadas. Layer crunchy corn tortillas with smoky chipotle fowl and a medley of toppings which includes coleslaw, bitter cream and avocado.
Shrimp Avocado Tostadas: For this flavorful spin at the Mexican staple, shrimp receives marinated in a smoky sauce (don’t pass the step of toasting the chiles!), and then seared and piled atop crispy fried tortillas spread with mashed avocado.
Chicken and Black Bean Tostadas: Here, tostadas are crowned with a mashed bean base, citrusy cabbage slaw and shredded rotisserie hen. File this one away for an smooth weeknight supper.
Sweet Potato Tostadas: This vegetarian version starts offevolved with a base of mashed refried black beans, plus smooth boiled sweet potatoes followed by chopped pineapple for a success of sweetness.
Chorizo and Egg Tostadas: A savory breakfast-for-dinner or weekend brunch alternative, these crispy tostadas are crowned with melty pepperjack cheese, chorizo, a runny-yolk egg and sparkling p.C. De gallo.
