Tacos de canasta

Tacos de canasta are small corn tortillas filled with potato, beans or other stews, stacked in a basket and kept warm by their own steam. They are a street food sold from a basket carried or set on a stand.

What it really is

Corn tortillas are dipped in lard or oil, filled with a spoonful of a cooked filling such as potato in chilli and pork fat, refried beans, or chicharrón in salsa, and folded or rolled. The tacos are packed close together in a wicker basket lined with cloth, which holds the heat and steam from the filling and tortillas until they are sold.

The name refers to the basket (canasta), not to a specific filling. Unlike tacos dorados, which are fried until crisp, tacos de canasta stay soft and moist because they are not fried after filling. Tacos al vapor is a common alternative name for the same style of tortilla and steam.

How it's served

• Eaten hot, usually standing or at a small stool beside the basket
• Usually two or three tacos per order, one hand held under to catch juices
• Served with red or green salsa, pickled onion, and sliced radish or lime
• Often sold in the late afternoon and evening from street stalls

How to write it on the menu

• Name the filling, for example potato with chorizo, refried beans, or chicharrón, and state the salsa served
• Note that the tortillas are corn and that lard is commonly used, so state if lard is used for allergen and dietary purposes
• Specify whether the tortillas are soft and steamed or lightly fried, since the two styles differ
• Give the price per taco and the number of tacos per portion