Tlayuda Rápida de Comal
(tlah-YOO-dah RAH-pee-dah deh koh-MAHL)
La Despensa y El Comal
Tuesday night, seven o'clock, a cast-iron comal smokes on a four-burner stove, chasing the flavor of a Oaxacan tlayuda—a sixteen-inch masterpiece coaxed to life over wood coals, a dish that smells of toasted corn, rich pork fat, and earthy black beans. The secret to this depth lies in the layering of flavor, not an endless hunt for imported ingredients: tearing ropes of Oaxacan quesillo, swapping hard-to-find asiento for a quick blend of lard and bacon fat, and hitting the beans with a hint of fennel to mimic native avocado leaves. Smear the beans to the edges, scatter the shredded cabbage, and eat it while the tortilla still shatters in your hands.
Ingredients
- pork lard3 tbsp
- bacon drippings1 tbsp
- canned black beans15 oz
- fennel seeds1/4 tsp
- bay leaf1 small
- chile de árbol1 med
- white onion1/4 cup
- corn tortillas4 large
- Queso Oaxaca2 cup
- green cabbage2 cup
- Roma tomatoes2 med
- avocado1 large
- Mexican chorizo8 oz
Method
- 01
Build the authentic bean paste.
Heat one tablespoon of the lard in a small saucepan over medium heat, then sauté the onion and chile until soft. Pour in the entire can of black beans, fennel seeds, and bay leaf, simmer for five minutes, then remove the bay leaf and blend the mixture until completely smooth and thick.
- 02
Prepare the mock asiento.
In a small bowl, mix the remaining two tablespoons of lard with the bacon drippings to replicate the deeply roasted, smoky pork flavor of true Oaxacan street stalls.
- 03
Sear the tortilla.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet or comal over medium-high heat, place one tortilla on the dry surface, and toast it for thirty seconds to warm it through before flipping.
- 04
Layer the base.
Working quickly, spread a thin, even layer of the lard and bacon mixture across the entire surface of the tortilla, followed by a generous layer of the warm black bean paste.
- 05
Top and crisp.
Reduce the heat to medium-low to slowly crisp the tortilla without burning it, then scatter the shredded cheese, cabbage, tomatoes, and cooked chorizo over the top.
- 06
Serve the Oaxacan way.
Let the tlayuda cook undisturbed for three to five minutes until the edges blister and the cheese melts, then slide it onto a board, fan with fresh avocado slices, and serve immediately folded in half or sliced into wedges.
From Cook Oaxacan in America.