Tacos Arabes. This traditional recipe will give you the authentic flavors from one of the most popular tacos in the City of Puebla, Mexico. Pork cooked with herbs & spices, in a thin flatbread that resembles a pita bread.
The History behind Tacos Arabes
Arab cultural influences run very deep in Mexico. And even though those numerous manifestations might not be very evident at first sight, the more one looks, the more those influences are revealed until we see them all around us. Some appear in the exquisite designs of glazed pottery that grace the dining table or are adorned on the walls themselves, the product of Arabic master craftsmen.
In the 1800s amid ferocious political harassment and forced displacement, many Christian Arabs resolved to flee and find refuge in other Christian countries around the world, including Mexico, Arab immigrants legally entered Mexico, mainly refugees from Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, most of whom settled in the central state of Puebla, although some smaller groups chose to settle in locations such as Baja California and Mexico City. It is estimated that between 1871 and 1976, a total of 113,201 Arab citizens moved permanently and became simply known as “Arabs”, a term of endearment rather than a pejorative.
Tacos Arabes are served with a chipotle sauce
The Arab diaspora also brought their delicious culinary heritage, most notably the ubiquitous and humble kebab that was enthusiastically reinvented in Mexico. The idea itself of roasting meat on a naked flame wasn’t unknown in Mexico, but the introduction of the Lebanese shawarma or vertical rotating roaster was a great innovation for the country. However, the method of serving kebabs, sliced roasted lamb in a round, soft and hot pita with a series of strong garnishing was too similar to a Mexican taco, and soon they were simply renamed as tacos Árabes.
Tacos Arabes Taquero
This traditional Lebanese way of cooking a heavily marinated lamb meat originally included spices such as caraway, cardamom, nutmeg, and ginger, but due to their scarcity and elevated prices in Mexico, they were simply left out, creating a new taste experience altogether. Another change involved substituting lamb for pork, the latter being highly popular and common in Mexico, which was supplemented with a fiery and spiced chipotle salsa. Unwittingly, a culinary institution was born, and this proud tradition is particularly significant in the beautiful city of Puebla, where numerous Arab taquerias are hugely popular.
Rest assured that this tacos árabes recipe has not only been cross-checked with many master taqueros from the best and most traditional poblano taquerias, to ensure not only the quality but also the authenticity of this grand dish.
This recipe for Tacos Arabes is a Guest Post by Rocio Carvajal
About Rocio Carvajal:
Rocio Carvajal is a Mexican food history writer, cook and podcaster, through her work she unveils the inspiring and fascinating cultural history of Mexico’s national cuisine, a heritage she defines as an infinite source of inspiration, knowledge, and pleasure.
Through SABOR! This is Mexican food and Pass the Chipotle Podcast she offers new perspectives of multicultural dialogue, opening up new discussions about traditions, evolution and better ways to understand one of the world’s most celebrated cuisines.
Arab tacos – Tacos Árabes Recipe
Timing
For the tacos Arabes meat
Marinade for 2 hours
Cook: 15 minutes
Arab salsa
Prep time: 10 minutes
This recipe makes enough meat and salsa to prepare 12-14 tacos
To make the Arabes tacos meat
Ingredients:
- 500g – 1 lb pork steak, sliced thinly in strips
Marinade for the Tacos Árabes Meat
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp. standard white vinegar
- 1 large Spanish onion, sliced in thin wedges
- A handful of finely chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp oregano
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Generous pinch of salt
- 4 tbsp cooking oil
Instructions:
- Mix all the ingredients, except for the oil, in a bowl or re-sealable bag. Make sure the meat is covered evenly in the marinade and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours or even overnight if possible.
- To cook, first drain the excess liquid from your meat, then heat the oil in a big pan and fry gently until it cooks, will take about 15 minutes on medium heat.
- Serve with hot soft pita or flour tortillas.
TO MAKE THE TACOS ARABES TRADITIONAL SALSA
Ingredients:
- 5 dried chipotles or 60g – 4 tbsp chipotle paste
- 1 tbsp fresh or dried oregano
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tbsp tomato paste*
- 125ml – 4.22 fl oz water
- 4 tbsp standard white vinegar •1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions:
- Remove the stem from the chilies and discard the seeds. Use all of the water to boil them for five minutes, after that leave them soaking for five more minutes to cool.
- In a blender, mix all the ingredients including the water you used to boil the chilies. Blend until it turns into a smooth puree and season with salt to taste.
- If you’re using a paste, proceed to put all the ingredients directly in a blender and puree, and season with salt last.
* The traditional recipe that taquerias use does not contain any tomatoes, poblanos really love very spiced and piquant salsas! So I have added the tomato paste to round the flavors and make them less sharp and strong.
If you enjoy listening to Podcasts that enrich your life and leave you with a happy feeling, I highly recommend you to listen to Pass The Chipotle Podcast. Rocio will take you on a wonderful culinary journey full of history and marvelous flavors and aromas. Plus, her magazine also includes Mexican recipes.
Tacos Árabes Recipe
Ingredients
To make the Arabes tacos meat
- 500 g – 1 lb pork steak sliced thinly in strips
- Marinade for the Tacos Árabes Meat
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp standard white vinegar
- 1 large Spanish onion sliced in thin wedges
- A handful of finely chopped parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp oregano
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Generous pinch of salt
- 4 tbsp cooking oil
To make the Tacos Arabes Traditional Salsa
- 5 dried chipotles or 60g – 4 tbsp chipotle paste
- 1 tbsp fresh or dried oregano
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tbsp tomato paste*
- 125 ml – 4.22 fl oz water
- 4 tbsp standard white vinegar •1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
To make the Arabes tacos meat
- Mix all the ingredients, except for the oil, in a bowl or re-sealable bag. Make sure the meat is covered evenly in the marinade and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours or even overnight if possible.
- To cook, first drain the excess liquid from your meat, then heat the oil in a big pan and fry gently until it cooks, will take about 15 minutes on medium heat.
- Serve with hot soft pita or flour tortillas.
To make Tacos Arabes
- Remove the stem from the chilies and discard the seeds. Use all of the water to boil them for five minutes, after that leave them soaking for five more minutes to cool.
- In a blender, mix all the ingredients including the water you used to boil the chilies. Blend until it turns into a smooth puree and season with salt to taste.
- If you’re using a paste, proceed to put all the ingredients directly in a blender and puree, and season with salt last.
* The traditional recipe that taquerias use does not contain any tomatoes, poblanos really love very spiced and piquant salsas! So I have added the tomato paste to round the flavors and make them less sharp and strong.
If you enjoy listening to Podcasts that enrich your life and leave you with a happy feeling, I highly recommend you to listen to Pass The Chipotle Podcast. Rocio will take you on a wonderful culinary journey full of history and marvelous flavors and aromas. Plus, her magazine also includes Mexican recipes.
Nutrition
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Pass the Chipotle Podcast is available on:
iTunes , Stitcher , Youtube , and Pass the Chipotle. com
If you like these tacos, you will love the Tacos al Pastor recipe.
MMMMM! Going to make them with the salsa.
Thank you so much
Great taste and thoroughly enjoyed. I remember.having severalis Guadalajara.
I enjoyed the historical background. I will definitely be looking for the ingredients to make this someday. Thank you Rocio and Mely.
How long does the pork need to sit in the marinade for? I would think it takes some time to soak up the onion-y goodness.
And now I want this for dinner. The easiest way to make al pastor and this is to go to an Asian market and buy pork butt already sliced. Actually I can even get jowl which would probably be really good mixed with the butt.
Thanks
Hello Clara,
Step number one indicates the timing.
Make sure the meat is covered evenly in the marinade and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours or even overnight if possible.
Making these today – they look yummy! Question, do you add the salsa as a topping or do you mix it into the fried pork steak?
Hello Kendo,
The salsa is as a topping in these amazing tacos Arabes.
For the marinade are the bay leaves and oregano fresh or dried?
Hello Greg,
Use dried bay leaves and oregano.
I don’t understand the amount of vinegar to add. Recipe says 2 tsp oz.??
Hello Gewn,
Thank you for noticing that, it is 2 tsp. Enjoy your tacos!