Cajun Shrimp Tacos

Just because summer is “over”, doesn’t mean I’m fully giving up all of the tropical flavors. Before the temperatures officially drop and it’s time for cinnamon and pumpkin everything, I’m going to continue to enjoy these Cajun spiced shrimp tacos with a tropical mango avocado salsa.

**Before I dive into the recipe, I want to provide some history and context on tacos. According to this piece in Vallarta Eats, the word taco comes from the word “tlahco”, which means “half or in the middle”. However, according to this article, there are also beliefs that the name taco was first referred to dynamite used in mines, which was wrapped tightly in paper, much like the modern-day taco is wrapped in a tortilla. It is believed that the classic corn tortillas were originally used as a spoon-like structure to hold the food they were eating (dating back to 1,500 BC). In the early 1900s, the revolutionary era brought the emergence of the classic and original taco. Then, during an economic crisis in the 1950s, residents began selling the famous dish on the streets to workers. Evidence is believed that tacos first made their way over to the US by an influx of immigrants in the 19th century into the Los Angeles area. Today, you are able to find Americanized versions of tacos in just about every city. The first telling sign of an authentic taco would be the shell, which should be corn-based, and the second would be the fillings, which should be a few simple ingredients: meat, lettuce, and a small amount of cheese. For a lot more information on this topic, here is a book devoted to the investigation of Mexican food: Global Taco - A Global History of Mexican Food. While this recipe is not traditional, it is my take of the Americanized version of a taco.

Shrimp can be an intimidating ingredient to cook, but I promise it is super easy and quick and the trick I include in these directions regarding the shape of the shrimp is a foolproof way of realizing when they’re fully cooked through. Go enjoy these tacos and let your imagination run wild with pretending you’re on a gorgeous tropical beach somewhere.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• Shrimp (2 dozen – peeled & deveined)

• Avocado (1)

• Mango (1)

• Grape tomatoes (1/2 cup)

• Lime (2)

• Bell pepper (1)

• Cheese spread (1/2 cup) – not necessary, but I love a vegan cheese spread as a base layer

• Tortillas (8 – assuming 2 tacos per person)

• Avocado oil

• Cayenne pepper

• Paprika

• Chili powder

• Salt

• Pepper

Directions:

1. Place the shrimp in a bowl and season with the juice of 1 lime, 1 teaspoon of avocado oil, and 1 teaspoon each of chili powder, cayenne pepper, and paprika, and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper

2. Combine that mixture so that all of the shrimp are evenly seasoned and set aside

3. Peel the mango and cut into ½ inch pieces, quarter the grape tomatoes, and cut the avocado into ½ inch chunks and then place them all in to a bowl

4. Season that mixture with the juice of 1 lime, ½ teaspoon of chili powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt & pepper and mix well

5. Chop the bell pepper into ½ inch pieces and place on a hot skillet with ½ teaspoon of avocado oil and sauté for ~10 minutes, or until the pepper is softened and slightly browned on the outside

6. On a hot skillet with ½ teaspoon of avocado oil, place the shrimp down and wait for ~5 minutes, or until you can see that the bottom half of the shrimp is cooked through and no longer translucent, and then flip

7. Cook on the other side for an additional ~5 minutes, or until the shrimp have formed the letter “C” and are no longer translucent

8. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside in a bowl

9. Char the tortillas on the open flame of your stovetop flipping continuously for ~30 seconds

10. Serve everything as a build your own taco bar and enjoy!

Allergen Information:

• Gluten Free (depending on tacos used)

• Dairy Free (depending on cheese spread used)

• Soy Free

• Nut Free

** after a lot of self-reflection and doing the work of Layla F Saad’s Me and White Supremacy (a book I highly recommend everyone reads) and Rachel Rickett’s Social Activism 101 & 102 courses, I realized the cultural appropriation that was occurring on my website when it came to recipes. I was modifying recipes deeply embedded in oppressed cultures without paying any respect to the history or original ingredients used. After realizing this, I went through and made changes to many of my recipes. This section is part of what was edited and included.