taquito — Mexico

Taquitos — literally "little tacos" — are small rolled tortillas filled with shredded meat or cheese, then shallow-fried or deep-fried until crisp. The same preparation, when made with larger tortillas, is often called flautas, and both names sometimes overlap depending on the region and the cook. This page follows the version prepared in Mexico, where taquitos and their close relatives are found at street stalls, markets and home kitchens across the country. To prepare it, corn tortillas are warmed to make them pliable, then filled with a strip of shredded, seasoned beef or chicken and rolled tightly into a narrow cylinder, sometimes secured with a toothpick. The rolled tortillas are fried in hot oil, turning them so the whole surface crisps and browns evenly, then drained on paper before serving. In Mexico, taquitos are commonly served with a scoop of sour cream, guacamole and a spoonful of salsa, sometimes over shredded lettuce and a scattering of crumbled cheese. The filling changes from cook to cook — some use potato or cheese instead of meat — and whether the tortilla is corn or flour, and how large it is, decides whether the result is called a taquito or a flauta.