Why I Decided To Make Indian Spiced Tri-Tip Tacos With Tangy Tomato Sauce
By: Adelina
Published: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 3:17pm

Ingredients




Beef:
9 cloves minced fresh garlic
3 tablespoons garam masala powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
4 tablespoons canola oil, plus more if needed
2 pounds beef tri-tip
Tomato sauce:
2 tablespoons canola oil
9 cloves minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 ounce (28) can tomato puree
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup water
Rice:
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 small onion, minced
3 cups water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 package white corn tortillas
Bunch fresh cilantro sprigs
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and thinly sliced

Preparation

1 For the beef: Mix the garlic, garam masala, salt, and pepper with enough oil to make a paste. Rub the paste all over beef and marinate for 24 hours. Preheat a grill or grill pan and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 2 Sear the meat on the grill, sear all sides. Transfer the meat to a roasting pan and finish in the oven until, a thermometer reads an internal temperature of 145 degrees F for medium. Allow the beef to rest before slicing. 3 For the tomato sauce: Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil until shimmering. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the garam masala, cooking another 30 seconds, then add the tomato puree, brown sugar, vinegar, and Worcestershire. Season the mixture with salt, and pepper, to taste. Add water and simmer 20 minutes, or until the flavors deepen and the sauce thickens. 4 For the rice: Wash the rice in 4 changes of water, until the water is relatively clear. Soak the rice for 30 minutes, and then drain. 5 In large pot, add 2 tablespoons oil and warm over medium heat until oil shimmers. Add the caraway seeds and toast for 1 minute. Add the onions, sauteing until golden brown. Drain the rice. Add to pot and toast, stirring every now and then, until the grains are separate and glistening with oil. Add the water, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until cooked, about 15 minutes. 6 Warm the tortillas over an open flame or in a pan. Slice the beef into thin slices. Construct the tacos with some meat, some sauce, a sprig of fresh cilantro and jalapeno if you like more heat. 7 Even though the original recipe is serving the rice inside the taco, I served the rice on the side at home.  I was at the liberty of my house and did not have to stand and eat.

About


When I decide my menu for the week, I go thru a very selective process.  Questions such as the following start popping up in my not so big brain.
Spicy Indian Tri Tip Tacos with Tomato Sauce
    * Is it healthy?
    * Will the kids eat it?
    * Can I prep in advance?
    * Will it be costly?
    * Am I familiar or have access to the ingredients?
    * Does it match my mood?
    * Is it seasonal?
    * Is it easy enough for a weeknight meal?
    * Do I like the ingredient list?
    * Do I imagine it tasting good when I am reading the recipe?
    * Is it worth my time, money and effort?
    * Will I learn something new?
    * Do  I feel excited preparing this dish?
Yes, you might think I suffer from a  strange disorder…. my husband thinks so even though he enjoys cooking too.   I wonder that at times too…
But for me, it can be a fun and exciting process.  I enjoy reading recipes, studying ingredients, and discovering new methods of cooking. Well, I have to say it’s not a requirement that all of the above conditions are met, but I am pretty critical and at the same time indecisive.
What do you expect?  It’s an advantage of being a girl.  I might decide to make a dish, then later change my mind.
Lately I have been trying to cook  more vegetarian, or healthier dishes, but I had to cancel my original plan of attack  and try these spicy taco-truck style tacos from the Food Network Lunch Truck challenge.
As the new season for Food Network Star began, I was originally a fan and still a fan of my friend’s close friend Doreen Fang.  She’s a fun foodie personality that reviews and talks about her dining adventures around town. You can find out more about her by visiting her blog http://diningwithdoreen.com.  I was pretty sad to see her leave the show on the second episode, but still support her by voting for her on the food network site.
But as we all know, the show must go on… As she left the show,  my love grew more and more for Aarti.  After Doreen, she has become my favorite this season!  I love all the dishes she makes in each episode and her beautiful smile on the show.  If I had to pick , I would want Aarti to be the Next Food TV Star.
So if you must know why I decided to make these tacos… I would say that Aarti inspired me to make tasty Indian tacos.   I want to say that I am so happy I made them… these are amazingly tasty.  The minute you take a bite, you can’t help but go ummm… sooooo goood.  I had more than I should have for dinner and so did my family and my guests.
I hope you enjoy them as much as we did it!
I did make some tiny changes based on my personal taste buds.  Click here for the original recipe:  Aarti’s recipe