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Epicurious

Tripe Tacos in Herbal Tomatillo Sauce with Toasted Seeds and Nuts

By Justin Yu
Image may contain Sandwich Food Taco Dish and Meal
Tripe Tacos in Herbal Tomatillo Sauce with Toasted Seeds and NutsDavid Cicconi

Says Chef Yu: "I really love a slightly softer taco filling with lots of toppings for crunch. This is based off a chili verde recipe that my chef used to do for staff meal, with a Mexican/Southeast Asian tinge. The two cultures share so many of the same flavors, it's easy to blend them without making it feel out of place."

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 12 tacos

Ingredients

2 pounds honeycomb tripe
Kosher salt
8 tomatillos, roughly chopped (about 3/4 pound)
2 small red onions, chopped
2 jalapeños, stemmed and cut in half lengthwise
10 cloves garlic
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
1 cup mint leaves, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup oregano leaves, plus more for garnish
4 tablespoons fish sauce
4 limes, zested and juiced
12 corn tortillas
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, toasted
3 tablespoons peanuts, chopped and toasted
Diced white onion, optional, for garnish

Preparation

  1. Poach the tripe:

    Step 1

    Poach the tripe in salted water for 3 hours in a large pot, changing the water halfway through. The tripe should be soft and pliable when done. Drain and let tripe cool. Pat dry.

  2. Make the herbal tomatillo sauce:

    Step 2

    Toss the chopped tomatillos, onions, jalapeños, and garlic in 2 tablespoons oil. Broil on a foil- lined baking sheet until vegetables are blackened in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. Purée the blackened vegetables, herbs, fish sauce, lime zest and juice in a blender. Let sauce cool.

  3. Pan-fry the tripe:

    Step 3

    Slice the cooled tripe into 1/4-inch strips. Heat the remaining 1/2 cup of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, carefully pan-fry the strips of tripe on one side until golden brown. Place tripe on a paper towel–lined plate as you work and sprinkle with salt. After the last batch, drain the pan of all oil and add the pan-fried tripe and the tomatillo sauce. Toss the tripe in the sauce over medium heat until softened and coated.

  4. Assemble the tacos:

    Step 4

    Assemble the tacos: Warm the tortillas. Divide the tripe between the tortillas and top with toasted seeds and nuts. Garnish with additional chopped herbs and white onion, if desired.

TagsTacoMexicanLatin AmericanTomatilloVegetableJalapeñoChileGarlicRoot VegetableCilantroHerbs & SpicesMintOreganoSunflower SeedSeedPumpkin SeedPeanutNutMainDinnerDairy FreeBlender
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