AI-generated image
Chalupas poblanas
Puebla's little fried tortillas with red and green salsa, onion and cheese
On Sunday evenings in the old centre of Puebla, around the Barrio de San Francisco and the Paseo Bravo, stalls fry stacks of small, thin tortillas in shallow oil and paint them half red and half green with salsa. These are chalupas poblanas, sold by the half dozen on paper plates and eaten in a few bites. The Puebla version is usually topped with shredded pork; ours keeps the salsas, onion and cheese, which are the real flavour, and adds a few beans. The edges should be crisp, the middle still a little soft from the salsa. Cheese like queso fresco is often made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian fresh cheese if you prefer. Chef's tip: spoon the salsa on while the tortilla is still in the pan so it sizzles and soaks in.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the green salsa
For the red salsa
For the chalupas
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (5)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Simmer 4 tomatillos and 1 serrano chilli in water for 8 minutes, until the tomatillos turn olive green. Drain and blend with 1 garlic clove, 1 handful coriander and half the 1 tsp salt until smooth.
10 minStep 2: Blend 2 ripe tomatoes, 2 chipotles in adobo, 1 garlic clove and the rest of the salt until smooth. Simmer for 5 minutes in a small pan, until it darkens slightly.
6 minStep 3: Heat ½ cup vegetable oil in a wide frying pan over a medium-high heat until a scrap of tortilla sizzles at once.
2 minStep 4: Fry 16 small corn tortillas 3–4 at a time for about 1 minute, until the edges crisp and turn golden but the centre still bends slightly. Spread a little 5 ½ oz refried beans on each if using.
8 minStep 5: While they are still in the pan, spoon red salsa over one half of each tortilla and green over the other. Let them sizzle for 20 seconds. Common mistake: adding so much salsa that it floods the oil and spits; a tablespoon each is enough.
Step 6: Lift onto a plate, scatter with ½ white onion and 3 ½ oz queso fresco and serve straight away.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chalupas poblanas take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic clove?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of coriander?
- Flat-leaf parsley with a little mint.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Coastal Mombasa mix
A Mombasa street-food bowl: chickpeas and potato simmered in coconut milk with raw mango and chilli, ladled into small bowls and topped with crisp lentil fritters, crunchy chevdo and red, green and tamarind chutneys. Make the fritters and chevdo ahead and assemble at the table. It's sweet, sour, hot and crunchy all at once.
Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き, 'grilled as you like it') is the pride of Osaka, where it's cooked on hot iron griddles in lively restaurants. Finely shredded cabbage is folded into a light batter with egg and spring onion, then fried into a thick, soft pancake with a crisp outside. It's painted with a fruity brown sauce and zigzagged with mayonnaise. Bonito flakes are usual on top; this vegetarian version uses seaweed flakes and pickled ginger instead. Chef's tip: don't press the pancake down with your spatula while it cooks. Osaka cooks leave it alone so the cabbage steams inside and stays light and fluffy; pressing squeezes out the air.
Japanese
Masala khakhra
Khakhra are thin chapaties roasted slowly on a griddle until they turn crisp, like a cracker. This masala version adds gram flour, fresh fenugreek, turmeric and chilli to the wheat dough. They are a light Gujarati breakfast or tea-time snack, and lovely with pickle, chutney or a smear of butter. You can also make them in a roti maker.
Indian