# El Salvadorian tacos?



## allioop108 (May 24, 2006)

There is a new El Salvadorian restaurant that recently opened up across the street from where I work.  They have what they call a taco thats not like the typical taco that I'm used to (tortilla filled with chopped meat, cheese, diced tomatoes and lettuce).  This taco uses a rolled pita bread thats filled with chopped steak and what looks to be possibly cilantro.  Don't remember if anything else was in there like onions.  It is served with two side garnishes, one looks and taste like a salsa sause (red in color) and the other is green in color and spicey hot, I'm guessing wasabe.  Does anyone have the recipe for this type of taco or know the total ingredients. It is certainly delicious and I have unsuccessfully looked it up on the internet and unfortunately the workers in this restaurant do not speak English so I cannot ask how the tacos are made.  Thanks,

Allen


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## skilletlicker (May 24, 2006)

I'm no expert but;

Pita bread and thick flour tortillas are similar. Both flour and corn tortillas made at home are often thicker than the ones in the grocery store.

Of couse I can't know, but I'd guess the red sauce was a based not on tomatoes but chiles. I'd bet the green sauce was tomatillo and green chiles rather than wasabe.

I'll be interested in following this conversation as it develops.

Thanks for starting the conversation.


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## skilletlicker (May 24, 2006)

There seems to be an El Salvadoran tradition for thick flat breads. This (click and scroll down to "Pupusas EL SALVADOR) looks more like an empanda to me but does it sound anything like what you remember?


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## allioop108 (May 24, 2006)

No, I've had the pupusas and they are quite different then the taco that I'm describing. Next time I go back I will see if one of my co-workers can go with me and find out whats in the tacos.

Allen


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## allioop108 (May 28, 2006)

*taco recipe*

Ok so I decided I was going to have some El Salvadorian tacos for lunch today and brought my transalter / coworker to ask what is in the tacos.  He asked 3 different people but no one wanted to share the recipe so I took my taco and basically disected it.  In the taco itself: the meat is steak thats chopped up into tiny cubes.  There was also finely chopped onions and the finely chopped green leafy stuff tasted and smelled like cilantro (thinking back to the last time I cooked with cilantro).  The casing is soft thin pita bread. Then for the pour on sause, the red one definatly has pureed red chile and maybe a bit of lemon juice (similar to the marinade I just made for the african chicken with coconut sause found on this board).  The green sause is also pureed green chile and again possibly a touch of lemon juice.  Both sauses are very spicy but have a similar taste. So I guess my next step is to recreate at home and see if I can get the same taste.

Allen


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## BreezyCooking (May 28, 2006)

I agree with Skilletlicker that there's a more than excellent chance that the green sauce is made with tomatillos.  The vast majority of green salsas are.  It sounds like the only difference between these tacos & ones found in an authentic Mexican restaurant is the bread.


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## Dina (May 28, 2006)

It's not a taco Allen, it's called a pupusa. The cover is made from corn flour and filled with pork meat, or beans mixed with cheeses. The red sauce is a tomato based and they are served with a sauerkraut called "curtido". I'm married to a Salvadorian man and make these for him on occasion. There are several authentic pupusa recipes online.  Let me know if you'd like mine.


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## RosCoe (May 28, 2006)

A lady I work with is from El Salvadore and she has made this many times when we do fajitas for lunch. This is used as a condiment and not a dipping salsa although it isn't bad for that either. The plum tomatos surprised me but the final product is the real deal.  Make it as spicy as you wish with the pepper, we like it hot. 

salsa Verde 
2 plum tomatos
6 big tomatillos, adjust if they are small
2 garlic cloves
1 jalepeno or serrano 
cilantro, half a handful or so or to taste
salt to taste
simmer first four ingredients for about 5 minutes. Cool and put in 
blender with cilantro and salt.


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## allioop108 (May 28, 2006)

BreezyCooking said:
			
		

> I agree with Skilletlicker that there's a more than excellent chance that the green sauce is made with tomatillos. The vast majority of green salsas are. It sounds like the only difference between these tacos & ones found in an authentic Mexican restaurant is the bread.


 
ok so lets hear the recipe for tomatollos this way I can make it and see if it is the same sauce I had.

Allen


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## allioop108 (May 28, 2006)

Dina said:
			
		

> It's not a taco Allen, it's called a pupusa. The cover is made from corn flour and filled with pork meat, or beans mixed with cheeses. The red sauce is a tomato based and they are served with a sauerkraut called "curtido". I'm married to a Salvadorian man and make these for him on occasion. There are several authentic pupusa recipes online. Let me know if you'd like mine.


 
Definately not pupusa which this place also makes and I've had from there. No beans and the meat is steak (beef) since I've seen them cooking the steak which is used in several dishes. No sauerkraut either. The sauce I thought was tomatoe based but they at least told us it was chili peppers plus I tasted it alone and it was a chilli taste, not tomatoe like I originally thought. i just did a chilli mariande and it had the same taste almost and spiciness to it so i ruling out tomatoes altogether. If any board members are in the long island area I will post the address so others can try a sample, very delicious.

Allen


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