Guacquitos

Hola amigos!  Today is Cinco de Mayo.  Translation: Eat tacos and drink beers or margaritas with your hombres!  May 5 is also Children's Day in Korea, celebrating the "heroes of tomorrow." { link }  Even after a disappointing, is-this-really-happening Lakers show (or lack thereof) last night, I hope my fellow Angelenos will still find reasons to celebrate.

Ever since going into semi-recluse mode, avenues to channel my inner domestic diva have reduced significantly.  Suffice it to say, all that I've suppressed burst at the seams when I came across this ingenious recipe by Duhlicious.

I know, I know.  It's a recipe that calls for deep-frying and that goes against my whole go-green challenge, but it's a holiday and on holidays, we celebrate, right?  Besides, a few deep-fried taco rolls never killed anybody... may those never be my last infamous words.

Now, for the magic.

Ingredients

•  3 ripe avocados, pitted and diced
• 1 medium red onion, diced (I used yellow)
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced (I actually forgot to include this... it was still bomb, though!)
• 1/2 jalapeno, minced (I substituted this with red, yellow, and orange peppers for a touch of sweet)
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp. of Tapatio for a kick of spicy (optional)
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/3 cup cheese (optional)
• 10 flour or corn taco tortillas (I used wheat flour and corn - flour fries better)
• 2 cups of veggie oil for frying

Quick tip about dicing avocado - slice with the skin on!

Then squeeze the chunks out in a wringing action.  Simple and nearly clean!

Instructions

1) Fold all the ingredients and spices (excluding the cheese, oil, and tortilla) in a medium bowl.  Keep combining until the guac gets to the consistency you prefer (I like mine slightly chunky).

2) Place 1.5 tbsp. of guac in the center of a tortilla.  Sprinkle in a little cheese if desired.  Fold the outer edges in, tightly roll, and secure with toothpicks.

3) Bring the frying oil in a deep, heavy pan to 350 degrees F.  Then drop each roll in for about a minute or so on each side (or until it becomes golden).  As much as you want to eat these taquitos asap, only fry about 4-5 at a time (depending on the size of your pan).  You want to give each roll your undivided attention.

4) Once golden, remove from heat and let them cool on a paper-toweled plate.  Dress 'em up with sour cream and pico de gallo and serve. 

My corn ones didn't look as pretty, but they tasted awesome!

Look, I even cut and packed some up for a study sesh at the park.

Ole, ole!  Now, hand me an ice-cold bottle of Corona por favor.  Gracias.