Panuchos

 Panucho is very typical and traditional antojito (snack/appetizer in Spanish) from Yucatan region in Mexico, where my husband grew up.  This is absolutely in my husband's "top 3 favorite Mexican dishes" list but poor husband gets to eat only once or twice (if lucky) a year.  My excuses are; it's a calorie bomb and ruins my diet plan (yes, I'm one of those women who are always on diet), and for two, it takes hours to prepare.  It needs several steps of pre-making of toppings to become one Panucho.  What's more, you need to heat corn tortillas twice; once to open a pocket so you can fill with frijoles, and second time in oil to fry it.  He encouraged me to make a easier version, skipping the process of filling frijoles into tortillas and rubbing it as bottom layer so I could save some time.  To be honest, it affected the texture and flavor but it was still pleasant, I would say.  A must topping for Panuchos is pickled red onions, normally cooked in vinegar, but I also made it in my way, a lazy version.  For the meat, I used turkey but can be replaced by chicken or pork.


-Mar. 5 grocery shopping € 14.33/ € 196.33 left

Ingredients (for about 15 pcs.)
 ...<for pickled onion>
1 red onion
1 habanero chili (omit if you don't like hot)
1 large lime
salt 
 ...<for turkey>
1 turkey thigh
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
a pinch of salt
4-5 whole peppercorns
 ...<for the tortillas>
1 1/2 cup maseca/corn flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup water

vegetable oil
1/2 can frijoles negros refritos (Mexican refried black beans)
sour cream
1/4 head lettuce
1 avocado

Directions

1. To make pickled onion, part onion in half and slice as thin as you can.  Chop habanero and combine with sliced onion, lime juice&salt and let it sit in fridge for at least 3 hrs.   
2. Cook Turkey in a big pot with water, whole onion, garlic, salt&pepper, covered.
3. To make tortillas, combine maseca, all purpose flour, salt, water and knead to get dough to an even texture.  Divide into 15 small balls.
4. Using tortilla press or between two flat surfaces (ex. cutting boards), flatten the dough. *should be about three times thicker than regular tortillas for tacos, in order to get fluffy texture!! 

               

5. Heat tortillas in a non stick frying pan without oil, over medium-high flame until they puff up.
*normally tortillas should be slit open and filled with frijoles at this stage but I skipped this.

6. Meanwhile, shred cooked turkey.  Chop lettuce finely.  Slice avocado. (Heat frijoles too.)
7. In a skillet, heat vegetable oil and fry tortillas with(or without) frijol until golden brown, for about 1 min. each side.  Remove and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. 

8. Top with frijoles (if you haven't filled), lettuce, turkey, avocado, sour cream(optional) and red onion, in this order.   

We had agua de jamaica (iced Hibiscus tea) to go with panuchos.  Mmm que fresco!!