Figuring out how to eat sopes is a fun experience to undertake for a number of reasons. A good way to think about this oh so delectable food is that it´s eaten like other staple foods from other countries, such as eating a slice of pizza. The wonderful thing about sopes is that they are very versatile and you prepare them in a several unexpected ways.
But, what are sopes anyhow? They’re these small tortillas, but thicker, made to have edges that turn upwards so that they can hold their delicious contents with ease. For this reason, it doesn’t get more Mexican street snacks than this edible plate. As such you can pick one up pretty much in any corner of Mexico!
Mexican sopes are as great an introduction to Mexican food as food can get. They rely on corn dough which is used on countless delicious Mexican delicacies. If you really want to enjoy the best flavor that sopes have to offer, you have to make them at home. It may take some practice, but you’ll get the hang of it before you know it.
You can experiment to your heart’s content and see where the different flavors can take your personal palate.
How To Make Sopes In A Few Steps
Equipment
Bowl, to mix the masa and the water.
Pan.
Ingredients
For the dough
A cup & a half of masa rain
A cup & a quarter of warm water
For the standard toppings (These are suggestions, actual amounts are totally up to you!)
A cup of refried beans
2 cups of lettuce
A & a half cup of cooked beef and/or shredded chicken
Half cup of Mexican cream
Half cup of Mexican fresh cheese
Quarter cup of onion (most use white)
Half cup of tomato
Spicy salsa
More optional toppings
An avocado
Third cup of radishes
Pickled jalapeños and carrots (commonly referred to in Mexico as Rajas)
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the dough
Start out by mixing the masa harina and warm water in the mixing bowl and knead it until you achieve an uniform texture that’s manageable in a way that’s similar to kid’s play-dough. Be careful that it doesn’t dry out, which especially happens if you’re in a dry place, by keeping your hands wet and adding more water, little by little with a spoon if you need it.
Step 2: Divide the dough
Separate the dough into 10 equal-sized pieces, and cover with a moist kitchen towel.
Step 3: Heat the pan
Heat the pan up to a medium-high heat.
Step 4: Shape the pieces of dough
Now comes time to give these beauties their shape.
Step 5: Serve
The toppings that you add are really up to you. Some people like them just with beans and cheese, but some, kids especially, love to go a bit nuts with their favorite ingredients.
Tips and Tricks for Mexican Sopes
To save time, you may opt for preparing a bunch and, then, frying them, or cooking store-bought sopes. They may not taste as fresh, but there are plenty of quality brands on the market.
You might wonder how to cook store-bought sopes. Just heat up the pan on medium with oil and fry them on both sides until golden brown. Be careful not to allow them to absorb too much oil by pressing them with a paper towel. Then you can add the toppings of your choice.
Cheesiness is often associated with Mexican cuisine. As a result, it is quite common for different people to favor different kinds of cheeses with their sopes. While the most common combination includes broken cheese ¨queso quebrado¨ and cream, there are all kinds of different possibilities. These include queso Oaxaca, Manchego, Ranchero, and countless others. It´s up to your preference regarding the predominance of a hard or soft flavor of the cheese.
The same goes for the salsa. As amateur of fact, it’s quite common for households to prepare different kinds and then combine them at once discretion on top of the sope. The most common kinds are red which relies heavily on tomato, cree, which relies on green tomato, habanero which commonly includes pineapple, and chipotle.
If you’re throwing a party it´s a good idea to make many sopes so that they can try different ones.
Servings and preparation time
Cooking Time: 30 minutes.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 guests.
Conclusion
What makes a sope such a great food is its potential for variability. You can add to it any number of wonderful toppings, and experiment until you find something that you truly love! The most popular toppings include chicken, pork, beef, cream, avocado, radish slices, pickled carrots, salsa, and all manner of vegetables.
Sopes are part of an extended family of antojitos that include chalupas, picadas, gorditas, tlacuyos, huaraches among man others. It’s fascinating traveling Mexico through the many different variations of these pizza-like creations. Sometimes the differences may appear to be minimal at first glance. However, there is a careful dance between the different ingredients, methods of cooking, and shapes that shouldn´t be overlooked. For example, picadas are slightly thinner and more sauce heavy (and it’s even cooked with the sauce) than sopes. Tlacoyos have the shape of a nopal (cactus) and are thicker than regular sopes.
All in all, in Mexico, sopes are considered to be a truly heart-warming street-style food. It is eaten in a way that’s very similar to a hot dog. If you’re on the go, you can’t do much better than this. Sopes invite you to get creative and to enjoy your food your way and with your preferred topping choices.
Sopes raise people’s spirits and invite strangers to come together and share a moment, or several. While it is very much a finger food, it can be surprisingly filling. So, be sure to take your time as you eat them!
Make Sopes In A Few Steps
Equipment
- Bowl, to mix the masa and the water.
- Pan
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1½ cup masa rain
- 1¼ cup warm water
For the standard toppings
- 1 cup refried beans
- 2 cups lettuce
- 1½ cup cooked beef and/or shredded chicken
- ½ cup Mexican cream
- ½ cup Mexican fresh cheese
- ¼ cup onion, most use white
- ½ cup tomato
- Spicy salsa
More optional toppings
- 1 avocado
- ⅓ cup radishes
- Pickled jalapeños and carrots commonly referred to in Mexico as Rajas
- These are suggestions, actual amounts are totally up to you!
Instructions
- Mix the dough. Start out by mixing the masa harina and warm water in the mixing bowl and knead it until you achieve an uniform texture that’s manageable in a way that’s similar to kid’s play-dough. Be careful that it doesn’t dry out, which especially happens if you’re in a dry place, by keeping your hands wet and adding more water, little by little with a spoon if you need it.1½ cup masa rain, 1¼ cup warm water
- Divide the dough. Separate the dough into 10 equal-sized pieces, and cover with a moist kitchen towel.
- Heat the pan. Heat the pan up to a medium-high heat.
- Shape the pieces of dough. Now comes time to give these beauties their shape.
- Serve. The toppings that you add are really up to you. Some people like them just with beans and cheese, but some, kids especially, love to go a bit nuts with their favorite ingredients.1 cup refried beans, 2 cups lettuce, 1½ cup cooked beef and/or shredded chicken, ½ cup Mexican cream, ½ cup Mexican fresh cheese, ¼ cup onion, most use white, ½ cup tomato, Spicy salsa, 1 avocado, ⅓ cup radishes, Pickled jalapeños and carrots
