Original tacos were a little different than the U-shaped tortillas invented by entrepreneur Glen Bell of Taco Bell. The real deal begins with a ball of masa flattened into a thin round that’s fried to a golden crispness. The masa puffs up a bit, which is how the moniker “puffy taco” came into play. Stuff with ground taco meat, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and shredded cheese.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh masa (available at Mexican markets)*
• Wax paper
• Vegetable oil
• Kosher salt
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup Mexican beer

Toppings

• Shredded  cheese
• Salsa
• Lettuce
• Sour cream
• Guacamole

Preparation

1. Shape masa into 18 golf ball-size portions (about 2 Tablespoons each).
2. Cut sides off a zip-top plastic freezer bag. Line top and bottom of a tortilla press with freezer bag.
3. Place masa rounds in freezer bag, 1 at a time, and close tortilla press to form tortillas. (If you don’t have a tortilla press, use a flat plate, skillet, or flat-bottomed bowl, and press masa balls between sheets of wax paper against countertop into flat rounds. To ensure even thickness, press dough rounds once, rotate 180°, and press again.) Gently stack tortillas between layers of wax paper.
4. Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches into a Dutch oven; heat to 375°.
5. Gently lower 1 uncooked tortilla into hot oil. Once tortilla rises to surface and begins to bubble, cook 10 seconds. Gently flip tortilla, and lightly press center of tortilla, using a metal spatula, to create a U-shape.
6. Cook 30 seconds or until golden brown.
7. Carefully remove from oil, sprinkle with desired amount of salt, and drain upside down on a paper towel-lined wire rack.
8. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas.
9. Keep warm in a 200° oven.
10. Cook onion and next 2 ingredients in 2 Tablespoons hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 4 to 5 minutes or until softened.
11. Add beef, and cook, stirring often, 8 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Reduce heat to medium.
12. Return beef mixture to skillet; add tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and 2 teaspoons  salt, and cook 4 minutes.
13. Add beer, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
14. Uncover and cook 3 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
15. Serve mixture in tortillas with desired toppings.

Cook’s Note

If you can’t find fresh masa, you may substitute the following recipe: Whisk together 3 cups masa harina (corn flour), 1 1/2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Whisk in 2 1/4 cups very hot water until dry ingredients are moistened. (Add more hot water if needed, 1 teaspoon at a time.) Knead 3 or 4 times to make a smooth dough.