Recipe: Tacos Callejeros-Street Vendor's Tacos

Tacos Callejeros
(Street Vendor's Tacos)

Meat Filling:
2 cups shredded cooked chicken, pork, or beef

Marinated Cabbage:
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 bunch chopped cilantro (about 2 cups)
1 white onion, thinly sliced
4 or 5 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 fresh jalape os or 4 to 6 fresh serranos, minced (or more to taste)
juice of 4 or 5 limes (reserve some for squeezing on avocado)
salt to taste
2 avocados, thinly sliced

Toss all ingredients except avocado and set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes. Put sliced avocado on a plate, squeeze lime juice on it, and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, until ready to fill taco shells.

Taco Shells:
enough vegetable oil for dipping tortillas
36 corn tortillas

Pour vegetable oil into a skillet to a depth of about 1 inch. Heat it until the oil ripples. Meanwhile, heat a griddle or comal over high heat. With tongs, quickly dip each tortilla in the vegetable oil long enough for it to go limp, just a few seconds. Drain excess oil and then place the tortilla on the hot griddle. Flip it several times, cooking 3 or 4 minutes to a side. Before it gets too rigid, fold it over to make an envelope. Your shell should be stiff but not as crisp as a store-bought shell. Keep tortilla shells warm in a 150-degree oven until ready to fill.

To serve, fill shells with meat (on the bottom), marinated cabbage, and avocado. Eat immediately. Makes 3 dozen tacos.