Summer is the ultimate season for indulging in fish and seafood!
We often overlook the opportunity to incorporate these nutritious foods into our diets throughout the year, but now is the perfect time to make up for it. That’s why today, I have an exceptional summer dish to share with you—one that is perfect for sharing with friends and loved ones.
These homemade shrimp taco boats are generously filled with tantalizingly spicy shrimp stuffing and topped with a refreshing vegetable salsa and zesty lime avocado puree.
If you’ve never ventured into making your own tortilla dough, you’re in for a delightful surprise—it’s remarkably easy and brings a tremendous amount of enjoyment to the process!
Now, let’s explore everything you’ll need to transform this recipe into a delicious reality. I’ll also provide you with invaluable tips and tricks along the way to ensure your shrimp taco boats are truly unforgettable!
Which ingredients will you need for these shrimp taco boats?
Ingredients for the corn tortillas
Masa harina: A fundamental Mexican ingredient called masa harina is essential to create authentic corn tortillas. Masa harina is a dehydrated and milled clay-like corn dough that has been used for thousands of years for making various Mexican dishes, including tacos.
To make the corn dough, whole-kernel corn is soaked and gently cooked in calcium hydroxide (also called slaked lime) or another alkali, a process called nixtamalization. This ancient process softens the corn kernels, imparts calcium and makes other nutrients like niacin (vitamin B3) more available for our body.
Then, the mixture is washed and put through a fine-grade grinder to finally get corn dough. The sole purpose of dehydrating corn dough is to make it more shelf-stable and convenient for home use.
So, even though it is a product made from corn, masa harina is much more than regular corn flour or cornmeal. Thanks to the ancient processing method, masa harina is an extremely fine flour that becomes readily pliable and easy to work with once combined with water. Plus, it is easier digestible and higher in nutrients!
It comes in three varieties: white, yellow and blue, based on different colours of corn. The white variety I’m using in this taco boat recipe is also the most popular and slightly sweeter than the other two.
Hot water: To properly rehydrate masa harina, you will need hot water, and the hot setting on your tap should satisfy this purpose.
The rationale behind using hot water is twofold: Firstly, it aids in unlocking and enhancing the natural flavours inherent in the masa. Secondly, the hot water activates the tiny particles of corn skin in the flour, resulting in improved binding of the masa.
Fine sea salt: Salt will enhance the natural flavour of the masa. Use fine salt instead of coarse salt to incorporate more evenly with the dough.
Ingredients for the spicy shrimp stuffing
Shrimp: For this shrimp taco boats, I’m using Adriatic shrimp that are slightly smaller in size but extremely rich in flavour. It is best to buy them already cleaned to cut the preparation time.
You can also use frozen shrimp, but in that case, leave them in the fridge overnight to thaw.
You can choose from various shrimp varieties like brown, pink, royal red or tiger shrimp based on your location and availability. Depending on their size, you will need to adjust the cooking time, but they are all great substitutes in this shrimp taco boat recipe.
Onion: Yellow onion is an excellent base for this shrimp stuffing, adding flavour and texture to this recipe. Instead of yellow onion, you could also use even sweeter shallots.
Garlic: For the best result, use raw fresh garlic for these shrimp taco boats, but if you don’t have any, you can opt for garlic powder.
Tomato paste: Tomato paste adds a burst of savoury flavour that adds a particular depth to this spicy shrimp taco stuffing while thickening the sauce and making it creamier in texture.
Spice mix: What distinguishes this shrimp taco filling is the exquisite combination of cumin, sweet paprika, cayenne pepper, and oregano. This harmonious blend not only enhances the delicate sweetness of the shrimp but also imparts a subtle spiciness, enriching the overall flavour profile of this dish.
Ingredients for the veggie salsa
For this veggie salsa, you are more than welcome to put your creativity to the test. I’ve decided to use a mix of red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cabbage and spring onion that adds a note of freshness to this shrimp taco boats recipe.
How to make corn tortilla
Although it may initially seem daunting, crafting homemade corn tortillas is remarkably simple. Equipped with the listed ingredients and a few handy tricks, your success is guaranteed!
The dough is remarkably pliable and forgiving, making it arguably one of the easiest to work with.
Let’s explore the key aspects to consider and pitfalls to avoid to achieve the finest homemade corn tortillas!
Make the dough
To make authentic corn tortilla dough, you only need a mixing bowl, a sieve and a spatula. Start by sieving the flour into the mixing bowl.
Even though sieving the flour is not essential, it avoids forming lumps and ensures no foreign material is left behind. Then, add salt and mix to ensure it is evenly distributed.
Now it’s time to introduce the hot water. The amount of water needed may vary slightly depending on the specific brand of masa harina you’re using. Still, I find the ideal water-to-masa harina ratio to be 4:1.
I recommend you begin with that ratio and cautiously incorporate additional water if necessary, but stay within the 1.5:1 threshold.
Add water little by little, stirring the mixture with a spatula. Once you’ve incorporated all the water, start kneading the dough with your hands inside the bowl.
It will only take you about 2-3 minutes to get a smooth, uniform-looking dough. The dough should feel pliable and smooth but not stick to your hands.
Rest the dough
Form the dough into a ball, cover it with a damp cloth and rest it for 10 minutes.
The wet cloth will provide moisture and prevent the dough from drying out.
Portion the dough
To portion the dough, scoop out balls of around 35 grams using an ice cream scoop or a regular spoon. Once you divide the mixture, roll the balls between your palms until round and smooth.
Shape the dough
The easiest way to shape the balls into little tortillas is by using a tortilla press. If you don’t have a tortilla press, you can shape balls using a rolling pin, although it will require considerably more time, and the outcome may not be as flawless.
Place each dough ball in the middle of the tortilla press between two pieces of plastic (I cut open a reusable plastic bag).
Gently press the dough ball to form an even-looking flat tortilla.
This is the moment to test if the consistency of your dough is right! If the tortilla effortlessly peels away from the plastic, congratulations, you’ve done a great job! But, if the tortilla sticks to the plastic and starts breaking up, your dough is too wet. In that case, add a little bit of flour to the dough, and knead it for another 1-2 minutes to make it uniform again.
Cook the tortilla
Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Peel away the tortilla from the plastic and place it on the hot pan. Cook it for about 60 minutes or until it starts getting brown spots. Flip it to the other side.
If the heat and dough consistency is right, your tortilla will start bubbling up, especially on the second side.
For best efficiency, cook one tortilla while pressing the other. This way, the tortilla dough will keep moisture while waiting to be cooked.
Serve the tortilla
After cooking, carefully stack the tortillas on top of each other and tightly wrap them to preserve their moisture and prevent drying. As they sit like this, they will turn softer, which is precisely what you want. Keep in mind that the lower tortillas in the stack will be the softest, so try to use them first.
How to make shrimp taco filling?
This shrimp taco filling is extremely easy to make and comes together in less than 10 minutes.
To begin, gather and prepare all the necessary ingredients. Peel the yellow onion and garlic cloves. Cut the yellow onion into small dice and finely chop the garlic.
If using cumin seeds, toast them in a dry skillet until they start to pop and release their nutty aroma. Then, grind the toasted seeds in a mortar until they form a powdery texture.
In case you’re using dried oregano, grind it first in the mortar to enhance its flavour and aroma. Alternatively, if using fresh oregano (which I highly recommend), pluck the leaves and finely chop them.
For the remaining spices, cayenne pepper and sweet paprika, simply measure them out and add them to the spice mixture.
Place the shrimp on a piece of kitchen towel to remove any excess moisture.
Next, heat a frying pan and drizzle some olive oil. Add the diced yellow onion and sauté over medium-low heat until it turns translucent, ensuring it does not change colour. This should take approximately 2-3 minutes.
Next, incorporate the tomato paste and cook it while stirring for 2 minutes over medium heat. This step gives the tomato paste a richer flavour and becomes less acidic.
Now, increase the heat and introduce the shrimp, the mixture of spices and herbs, and the finely chopped garlic. Cook the ingredients while consistently stirring, allowing the shrimp to cook evenly on all sides. After 2-3 minutes, introduce a tablespoon of water to the pan and continue cooking for about a minute or two until all the liquid evaporates, occasionally giving it a gentle stir.
And there you have your spicy shrimp taco filling ready for plating!
More ideas for main dishes with fish and seafood
Salmon salad with spice sun-dried tomato sauce
