Tlayudas de la Calle
(tlah-YOO-dahs)
Antojitos & The Masa Life: Street Food at Home
If you’ve ever walked the vibrant streets of Oaxaca City at night, you know the hypnotic smell of charcoal, toasted corn, and roasting pork fat. The tlayuda is the undisputed queen of Oaxacan street food. Far too often, American adaptations treat this dish like a generic pizza, swapping out the soul of the dish for flour tortillas and olive oil. Not here. We are doing this the way an abuela in the Central Valleys would teach it, but adapted for your Tuesday night. The secret to a real tlayuda lies in two things you can easily execute at home: a quick hack for the savory pork asiento, and utilizing dried avocado leaves to infuse the black beans with their signature earthy, anise-like aroma. Uncompromising flavor, with ingredients you can actually find.
Ingredients
- pork lard3 tbsp
- pork rinds1/2 cup
- pork lard1 tbsp
- canned black beans30 oz
- dried Mexican avocado leaves4 med
- dried chiles de árbol2 med
- garlic cloves2 med
- white onion1/4 med
- imported tlayuda shells4 large
- Queso Oaxaca1 lb
- white cabbage2 cup
- Roma tomato1 large
- avocado1 med
- tasajo or flank steak1/2 lb
- salsa roja or verde1/2 cup
- limes2 med
Method
- 01
Create the quick asiento.
Pulse 3 tablespoons of the lard and the crushed pork rinds in a food processor or a heavy molcajete until they form a dark, gritty, savory paste.
- 02
Toast the aromatics.
Heat a large, dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat and toast the avocado leaves and chiles de árbol for 10 to 15 seconds per side until highly aromatic, being careful not to let them burn.
- 03
Purée the bean mixture.
Transfer the toasted leaves and chiles to a blender, adding the undrained black beans, garlic, and onion, then purée until completely smooth.
- 04
Fry the beans into a paste.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of lard in the skillet over medium-high heat, carefully pour in the bean purée, and cook while stirring constantly for 8 to 10 minutes until it reduces to a thick paste that holds its shape. Season generously with salt.
- 05
Preheat your cooking surface.
Preheat your oven to 425°F with a pizza stone or heavy baking sheets inside, or alternatively heat a large cast-iron griddle on your stovetop over medium heat.
- 06
Assemble the tlayudas.
Smear a teaspoon or two of the asiento across each tlayuda shell, followed by a hearty layer of the hot black bean paste, a handful of shredded cabbage, and a generous layer of the pulled Queso Oaxaca.
- 07
Fire them up.
Carefully transfer the assembled tlayudas to your preheated surface and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly, and the bottom of the corn tortilla is browned and crispy.
- 08
Garnish and serve immediately.
Remove the tlayudas from the heat and top with the cooked tasajo, tomato slices, and avocado, serving open-faced with salsa and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Notes
Do not skip the avocado leaves.
They are to Oaxacan cooking what basil is to Italian cooking. Ensure you buy the Mexican variety (Persea americana var. drymifolia), which can easily be found at local Latin markets or online, as other varieties lack the essential oils needed for this dish.
Consider the traditional fold.
In some parts of Oaxaca, the tlayuda is folded in half like a giant quesadilla before being taken off the comal. If your tlayuda shell is fresh enough to fold without shattering, feel free to fold it over the meat and cheese during the last minute of cooking.
From Cook Oaxacan in America.