Believe it or not it’s National Taco Day – really, I’m not making this up! 
Tacos can mean different things to different people. Think about. Corn or flour tortilla. Hard shells or soft shells. Beans or no beans. Guacamole or sour cream. Mexican or Korean.
What?
Yup, when I think tacos I think Korean. So what are Korean tacos? Well, I’d say it’s a new twist on those Mexican tacos we’re all familiar with. Rumor has it this Asian-fusion dish started in LA on a food truck. The flavors of this trend have become so popular that you can now pretty much find Korean tacos all over the place.
In case you don’t already know, I am huge fan of any type of Asian cuisine. And while I like authentic Mexican food, sometimes I find the “Tex-Mex” food we can commonly find here a bit heavy and overdone. So the idea of combining some simple Mexican ingredients with some Asian flare is super-appealing to me.
I’ve been experimenting with different types of Asian cuisine over the past couple years, but Korean flavors are a bit different to me. And to my delight, I have discovered my favorite new condiment, gouchujang. Remember how I talked about miso? Yup, this is right up there with that one. Gouchujang is a Korean chili paste made from red chilis, fermented soy beans, glutinous rice and salt. This chili paste adds a savory, sweet pungent tang to food. So far I have only used it for Bulgogi Tacos, but I have big plans for this condiment!
And guess what? This chili paste is fermented – we’ve talked about this before. Remember? Probiotics – digestion – “good” bacteria? And it doesn’t stop there – some research also indicates gouchujang may have the ability to prevent certain diseases. Not too shabby for a chili paste huh?
So for this National Taco Day try to think outside the box and treat yourself to the delight of this Asian-fusion dish!
Have you tried Korean tacos?
- 1 lb pork loin, cut into 2-inch strips
- 6 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon gouchujang
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 4-8 corn tortillas
- limes for serving
- In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, gouchujang, garlic and ginger.
- Add sliced pork loin and stir marinade to completely cover pork.
- Cover and marinate in fridge for at least an hour.
- When ready to cook, preheat grill pan. Once hot, grill pork slices until cooked through.
- Once all the pork is cooked, set aside for a couple minutes to rest. Once rested you can slice your pork into smaller strips if desired.
- Meanwhile, wrap your corn tortillas in a wet paper towel and microwave for 20 seconds.
- Serve pork loin in the warmed tortillas with a squeeze of lime.