Modern tostadas

Tostada means toasted, which is exactly what an open tortilla that’s been toasted in the oven is.

A dear friend of mine here in Christchurch showed me that you can also make really nice tostadas in the microwave. I know — I couldn’t believe it either! So I gave it a go, and much to my surprise, the result was nothing short of delicious. The key is to heat them long enough. I tried one tortilla for 90 seconds and it came out great; then I did two tortillas for 3 minutes (90 seconds each side) and got the same result. (For reference, I used a 1000w microwave.)

Let them cool down before eating — tostadas are meant to be eaten cold. There should be no chewy bits; the whole tostada should be crispy and delicious.

A bit more about how to use your fresh tostadas:

Tostadas are typically made with corn tortillas and topped with:

• A layer of something spreadable (refried beans, sour cream, avocado, hummus, etc.)
• Then, something with more substance (poached chicken, pulled pork, jackfruit, falafel, etc.)
• Finally, fresh vegetables — usually shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes.

You can finish it off with a dollop of sour cream, crumbled feta, salsa verde, or your seasoning of choice.