Recipes
How to Make Delicious San Antonio Puffy Tacos
With all the talk around town about a brewing taco war between Austin and San Antonio, let’s shed some light on a true San Antonio classic: the puffy taco.
While the individuals responsible for the puffy taco remain a mystery, we can all agree on one thing: thank goodness someone decided to fry a raw corn tortilla one day! A classic street food, sold at fairs and festivals, the puffy taco began to grow in prominence in the last 15 years.
The co-owners of Teka Molino in San Antonio discuss the finer points of the puffy taco and even show you how to make your own dough to fry. They make their own dough in house, even though it does require more effort to grind the corn.
The base of a puffy taco is masa, created from ground corn. A seasoning is kneaded into the dough and from there, the perfect corn tortillas can be rolled out.
What exactly makes the taco puff up in the fryer? Well the water that is still in the masa dough reacts to the hot oil and creates air pockets of deliciousness. If there is too much water, however, the tortilla will explode in the fryer or have holes.
The video below details the toppings and how to make your own at home.