To be authentic you can/should make an Indian fry bread to wrap them in, but you can always skip that part by a) buying some, b) buying a pita or wrap or c) using good thick flour tortillas. That is what we are doing since I really wasn't in the mood to 'cook' tonight so I only made the meat and sauce from scratch. Ok, enough with the preliminaries, let's eat!
Chalupas
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 c flour
3/4 c warm water mixed with;
1 T dried onion flakes
1 T chili powder
1 t paprika
1 t salt
Mix the ground beef in a bowl with the flour, chili powder, paprika and salt. Mix well. Add the water and the onion and mix again. Now cook it in a hot skillet, mixing and mashing until browned and 'done'. You want the meat to be more like a paste than 'ground beef' chunks.
Sauce
1/4 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, chopped
2 T diced onion
1 c mayonnaise
1 T vinegar
1/4 t fresh ground black pepper
1/8 t garlic powder +
1/8 t cumin +
Mix the peppers and onion with 1 T vinegar in a food processor or blender. Puree. Add the mayo and the remaining ingredients. Puree' smooth. Chill 2-3 hours if possible to allow the flavors to meld before serving.
Using the Indian fry bread or tortillas, build your chalupa with meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream. Top with the baja sauce and/or salsa.
