Tired of paying for tiny baggies of Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix when you've already got a cupboard full of spices? Here's a simple way to roll your own at a fraction of the cost.

Basic Taco Seasoning Mix

Ingredients
  • 1 tsp chili powder
    • This, of course, depends entirely on how hot you want the spice mix to be; I'd suggest keeping it mild, because you can always spice things up with salsa or fresh chilis.
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano
Optional Personally, I prefer to add fresh onion and garlic when preparing, but to each his own.

The above is about as basic as it gets, feel free to add other spices: coriander, paprika, black pepper, marjoram... if it tastes good in chili, it's OK here too.

Preparing the Mix

Combine and blend well. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Using the Mix

Use just the way you'd use a commercial taco mix; the quantities above are enough for a single portion.

The generic approach would be to fry 400g/1 lb of ground beef (and onions and garlic if you've got them lying around) until brown, then add the mix and half a cup of water. Stir until well mixed and serve in tortillas with tomato, lettuce, beans, cheese, salsa, durian, gravel...

The less generic, but considerably more authentic version (Mexicans don't do ground beef, and with reason) would be to apply the spice mix to strips of beef, fish, whatever. But then again, if you were worried about authenticity, why would you be using a taco mix in the first place?

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