Don’t you just love Mexican food? Enchiladas, tostadas, quesadillas, tacos, burritos, taquitos… the list is endless. Fresh, spicy, and tangy Mexican food. All of which require one essential ingredient…. tortillas!

Soft, round flatbread, which when filled and baked turn into the most amazing, flakiest thing imaginable.

 

The thing is, tortillas are a bit hard to find here in Pakistan. Supermarkets in Islamabad have only just recently started stocking the brand Old El Paso. And even if they are available, they can be quite expensive, a pack of 8 for Rs. 400 something.

 

Why not take some time out and make them yourself?

Trust me, they are way wayyy better than the lifeless store bought ones which you have to reheat again and again to make them soft enough to be edible.

 

Homemade tortillas require just a handful ingredients;

• Flour

• Baking Powder

• Salt

• Hot Water

• Shortening

The term “shortening” in the recipe may raise a few eyebrows. But not to worry. Shortening is a saturated fat similar to butter but with a higher melting point. It makes for the most delicious and flaky pie crusts. And it makes for the softest pliable tortillas ever! But like tortillas, shortening too is hard to find here, I was lucky enough to buy it off from a friend who found Crisco in a small wholesale shop tucked away in the narrow alley of Raja Bazaar, Rawalpindi. But it’s now available in large supermarkets like Al-Fatah or high-end stores like Essa Jees in Islamabad. You can sub with butter, but the result just won’t be the same.

 

These tortillas are literally SO easy to make.

1. You make the dough using very very warm water.
2. Let it rest.
3. Form small ping pong sized balls.

4. Cover and let them rest.

5. Then roll out each ball as thin as possible. Thinner you roll= flakier the tortilla!

6. Then cook each tortilla on a hot griddle till light golden brown on both sides.

7. Wrap in a kitchen towel to keep them warm and retain moisture.

Then use them to make whatever crazy Mexican creation you have in mind. Or place in a disposable bag and freeze.

 

Once you try these homemade tortillas, trust me, there’s no going back.

Oh and check back here for a recipe using these tortillas! 😀

Homemade Flour Tortillas Yields: 35-40 tortillas Ingredients: 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup PLUS 2 Tablespoons (extra) vegetable shortening 1 cup hot water Directions: Mix together flour, baking powder and salt in a large wooden bowl. Stir together. Add spoonful’s of shortening, then use a fork or your fingers to combine the ingredients and cut mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Slowly pour in hot water, stirring to bring mixture together. Lightly knead dough until it becomes a ball of dough and is less sticky. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow dough to rest for at least an hour. Roll into small ping pong sized balls, place on a tray, cover, and allow to rest for another 30 minutes. Heat a pan to medium-high heat. One by one, roll out balls of dough until very, very thin. Cook tortillas, 20 to 30 seconds on each side, till soft but slightly brown in spots. Remove and stack tortillas, and cover with a towel to keep warm. Use immediately or allow to cool before storing tortillas in a container. Notes: 1.       Water used in the dough should be hot. 2.      Roll out each ball very very thin. 3.      To freeze: Store tortillas in a disposable bag and freeze for upto 2-3 months. When ready to use them, take out and heat in the microwave. 4.      To warm: heat in the microwave for a mere 10 seconds. Recipe source: Pioneer Woman