Our family loves eating Mexican food. I usually make a big batch of chilli about once a week. When we were living in South Sudan, we could buy homemade tortillas fairly cheaply but on days when the tortilla lady wasn’t making, nothing beat a fresh warm tortilla slathered in butter and sprinkled with extra salt. Nom nom!
Our kids love to get in on the action, and I found it helped if I started out with the expectation that the kitchen would be covered in flour by dinner time. I was always pleasantly surprised when they managed to contain the mess to the bench and the floor only.
Here’s our recipe for the easiest homemade tortillas:
- 4 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 6 tbsp oil
Mix well, then divide into 8 large (30cm) tortillas or 16 small (15cm) tortillas. Roll out in a round shape then cook in a hot frying pan greased with butter and sprinkled with salt. Flip them over to cook on the reverse side when they have inflated a bit like a balloon (2 minutes or so). When you remove them from the pan, keep them warm until dinner time and serve with chilli con carne and your favourite salad.
Mexican Seasoning
If you can’t get Mexican seasoning where you live, or even if you can and want to avoid all the preservatives and nasties they put in those little packets (I’m talking about you, MSG) then use this simple recipe for around 500g of ground beef mince. I double it and pack out my recipe with lentils or beans.
- 1 tsp salt or beef stock
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1-2 big pinches of chilli flakes (adjust according to your tastes and whether or not you use spicy paprika)
Let us know if you make tortillas or chilli with your kids this week!