Equipment
Ingredients
Salsa
- 2 ancho chile, stemmed, seeded, deveined
- 4 garlic, peels on
- 1 canned chipotle chili in adobo, rinsed, stemmed, seeded
- 240 ml water
- 15 ml vegetable oil
- 15 ml cider vinegar
- 4 g sugar
- 2 g salt, to taste
Tostadas and Vegetables
- 170 g sweet potatoes, baked
- 150 g carrot, peeled, diced 1.3cm (1/2-inch)
- 140 g turnips, peeled, diced 1.3cm (1/2-inch)
- 115 g green beans, cut in 1.3cm (1/2-inch) pieces
- 112 g corn
- 6 corn tortillas, cut in half, toasted
- 55 g queso fresco, crumbled
- 240 ml romaine lettuce, thinly shredded
- 50 g onion, thinly sliced across the grain
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 296 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 48 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 409 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 9 mg
- Potassium
- 885 mg
- Calcium
- 194 mg
- Iron
- 2.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 84 mg
- Phosphorus
- 290 mg
- Zinc
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 970 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 21 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 80 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.26 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.32 mg
- Niacin
- 2.6 mg
- Folate
- 129 mcg
- Water
- 306 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place ancho chilies in boiling water and soak for 30 minutes until fully rehydrated.
Toast unpeeled garlic cloves in a dry skillet over medium heat until the skins char and the garlic softens.
Peel the toasted garlic cloves and trim the root ends once they are cool enough to handle.
Combine the drained ancho chilies, toasted garlic, chipotle chili, and 120ml (1/2 cup) of water in a blender and process until smooth.
Pass the blended chili mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any remaining solids.
Heat 15ml (1 tbsp) of oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chili purée and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and begins to stick.
Stir in the remaining 120ml (1/2 cup) of water, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Simmer until the sauce reaches the consistency of ketchup.
Steam the diced carrots, turnips, and green beans until they are tender, approximately 5 minutes.
Add the steamed vegetables, baked sweet potato, and corn to the saucepan. Stir to coat and heat through.
Spoon the vegetable mixture onto toasted tortilla halves and garnish with cheese, lettuce, and sliced onion.
Chef's Notes
- For an even deeper flavor, char the ancho chilies lightly in a dry skillet before soaking them. This process, known as 'tostado,' unlocks more complex smoky notes.
- When blending the sauce, don't over-process. A slight texture can add to the rustic charm. If you prefer a super-smooth sauce, strain it twice.
- Ensure your vegetables are steamed until just tender, not mushy. Overcooked vegetables will detract from the texture of the tostadas.
- To toast the corn tortillas, you can either bake them in a single layer at 180°C (350°F) for 8-10 minutes until crisp, or lightly fry them in a shallow layer of oil.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning of the chili sauce before adding it to the vegetables. The salt, sugar, and vinegar balance is crucial for its flavor profile.
Storage
Refrigerator: 72 hours — Store the vegetable mixture and tortillas separately to maintain texture.
Reheating: Reheat the vegetable mixture in a skillet over medium heat until steaming; toast tortillas separately.
Troubleshooting
Sauce tastes unpleasantly bitter
Cause: Garlic was burnt during toasting or chili seeds were not fully removed.
Fix: Add a small pinch more sugar to balance the bitterness, though it may not fully resolve.
Prevention: Monitor garlic closely and ensure all seeds and veins are removed from chilies before soaking.
Tortillas become soggy quickly
Cause: Vegetable mixture has too much residual liquid.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once assembled; serve immediately after plating.
Prevention: Ensure the sauce is reduced to a thick, ketchup-like consistency before adding the vegetables.
Cultural Context
Tostadas are a quintessential Mexican street food, originating from the practice of frying or toasting tortillas to preserve them. This recipe elevates the humble tostada with a rich, smoky chili-garlic sauce, reflecting the depth of flavors found in traditional Mexican cuisine, particularly in regions where dried chilies like ancho are a staple.
