Homemade Tacos

You can tell that summer is just around the corner, with some of the 30+ degree days we've had lately! The heat just makes me feel like eating something cool and refreshing for dinner, and home made tacos are a great option, with minimal cooking required.

The steak filling is marinated in some spices, lime juice and tequila, and then seared on the stove until medium rare. You can also use other meats as well - I've tried the marinade with chicken and it tastes just as good.

The flour tortillas are also made from scratch, which admittedly requires a little bit of elbow grease. You don't have to make your own flour tortillas, but once I realised how easy they were to make, it was well worth the effort and now I can't go back to the store bought kind.

Once you've browned the tortillas, rested the steak, chopped up some avocado and tomato and squeezed on a little bit of lime juice, you have your very own home made tacos for dinner. The best thing about this recipe is that you can really throw in whatever takes your fancy - some chopped cabbage or lettuce, Spanish onion, pickled jalapenos, some corn or cheese... The possibilities are endless!

Homemade tacos
makes approximately 8 small tacos

For the tortillas
1 cups all-purpose flour
30ml vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
80ml warm water

For the meat
250g meat (I used skirt steak, but you can use chicken thigh or breast, or another cut of beef)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
30ml lime juice
30ml olive oil
30ml tequila (optional)

+ any additional taco fillings you like

1. To prepare the meat: Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl. If using chicken, I recommend slicing the chicken into thin strips before marinating. Place the meat in a small dish or in a ziplock bag and pour the marinade over. Place in fridge for about 4-6 hours.

2. To make the tortillas: In a separate bowl, stir together flour and salt. Make a well in the centre and add oil and warm water, stirring to combine. Take the dough out and place onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for about 3 minutes or until smooth. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces, rolling each piece into a ball. Allow to rest, covered with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel, for at least 30 minutes. Once rested, roll out each ball into about a 15cm circle. Cook one at a time on a hot frypan, flipping it over when it starts to puff and brown on the first side. Keep warm by wrapping the stacked tortillas in a clean tea towel until ready to serve.

3. Remove the meat from the fridge and cook in a frypan or on the barbecue until done to your liking. Prepare your other taco fillings while the meat rests. Add your desired taco fillings onto your warm flour tortillas and enjoy!