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Weaving our way through the throng of vendors touting their business, locals in search of lunch, a smattering of fellow tourists, and no doubt the odd pickpocket, we came across two empty stools in front of a stall selling a range of Mexican dishes, including the local treat we had come for – Tlayudas de Oaxaca.
Finding empty seats during the lunchtime rush is always an achievement in busy markets and none more so in Oaxacas’s biggest and busiest, Mercado 20 de Novembre, which sprawls over two blocks in downtown Oaxaca, our home in Mexico for nearly two months.
The sprawling market contains all the fresh food Oaxaca is known for including an amazing bakery section. The sit-down food section is huge, and despite the times, very busy.
We didn’t have to look far for a menu as there was a large board in bright yellow right in front of us. Many of the items on that menu would become breakfast and lunchtime staples during our stay, such as the Enchiladas, Mole Negro con Pollo (a complex thick savoury-sweet sauce served with chicken), Chilaquiles (lightly fried corn tortillas with various toppings), and the unique café de olla (coffee with spices made in a clay pot).
Tlayudas de Oaxaca is also known as Mexican Pizza, by both locals and visitors. It hails from the well-known food destination of Oaxaca and is simply a large corn tortilla grilled over hot coals, until crispy. A layer of Asiento (pork lard) and refried black beans is applied as a base, with other toppings added depending on the type of Tlayudas de Oaxaca ordered.
Tlayudas Con Carne
The one option was Tlayudas Con Carne. Tlayudas with meat. And I didn’t need to look far to see the range of meats available – they were displayed in all their meaty glory on the counter, next to a stack of corn tortillas ready to combine.
The meat choices were Tasajo (sliced beef), Cecina (marinated pork), and local chorizo, and not wanting to play favourites, when the vendor asked which meats I wanted, I chose to indicate all three with a flourishing hand gesture like I was conducting a meat symphony. I’m still not sure why I did that, just saying all three would have been sufficient.
The vendor removed a portion of each type of meat from the display and started grilling. The aroma of the smoke was wonderful.
Within a few minutes, our lunch was cooked and placed in front of us. In addition to the meat was some Quesillo (local stringy cheese), lettuce, avocado, and tomato.
It looked great except there was one problem. I was expecting the meats to be cut up and spread evenly over the tortilla, like a Mexican version of a meat lovers’ pizza.
But alas, there was a pile of chorizo, and the pieces of beef and pork served whole, in what was a rather awkward-to-eat-looking dish.
And that was it. I looked at it wondering how I was meant to eat it. There were no instructions, no cutlery, and no conveniently placed fellow diners beside me so that I could copy their technique.
So, I just tucked in with my hands, pulled the meat apart to a more manageable size, ripped off pieces of the hard tortilla and piled as many of the disparate ingredients onto each piece.
I’m still not sure if that was the right technique.
The result was worth it though, albeit a bit messy, with a tasty combination of balanced flavours and textures.
The Vegetarian Tlayuda
We discovered a few different topping combinations for Tlayudas de Oaxaca as we visited many of the local eateries.
Probably my favourite was a vegetarian option, the specialty of a small family-run restaurant that we became regulars at during our time in Oaxaca.
Filled with an impressive array of vegetables, it was served on the slightly sweeter blue tortilla, made using locally grown blue corn. A hot sauce was added to the great flavour mix.
Oh, and it was cut up into slices and decidedly easier to eat.
