Street food—whether it’s a hot and crispy samosa enjoyed at Roanoke’s annual Festival of India, or grilled corn slathered with crema and cilantro on a Mexican beach—offers a tasty glimpse into the culinary culture of a country. This is true of an easy meal I discovered recently for Street-Style Shrimp Tacos with Corn and Lime Crema.
Contrary to myth, not all Mexican food is hot, as these street tacos are tame enough to feed to kids and adults with tender palates, yet full of south of the border flavors like cumin, chili powder and cilantro, and can be revved up with the addition, on the side, of hot sauce or jalapeños.
They’re also quick and easy enough to bring Mexico to the table on the busy weeknights we all have today. I made these on a recent Sunday night. Serve with refried beans or slow-cooked pintos.
Street Style Shrimp Tacos with Corn and Lime Crema
For the Lime Crema
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Pinch of salt
For the Shrimp Tacos
- 4 ears of fresh corn, uncooked kernels removed
- 1 bunch of scallions, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 lbs. Large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- Salt
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice, more to taste
- 12 small corn (or flour) tortillas
In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, lime juice and salt, set aside.
In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook corn, shrimp, scallions, lime juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder and salt, stirring frequently until shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, 3-4 minutes.
Warm the tortillas by wrapping them in foil and heating for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. If a grill is handy, warm tortillas until they char a bit on the edges.
Place tortillas on plates or a serving platter and top with generous amounts of the shrimp mixture, a squeeze of lime juice and spoonfuls of the lime crema. Serve the rest of the crema on the side.
About the Writer:
Rebecca Jackson is a veteran newspaper person/journalist based in Bedford County, VA. A native of California and an M.A. graduate of Arizona State University, she has a passion for pets (animals), good food/cooking, music, wine, horticulture, photography and travel.
