Our columnist introduces us to the term she coined with her family – interactive food. Assembling chicken, guacamole and salsa is a perfect example of that.
I simply love summer and would like it to go on as long as possible. I take inspiration from far flung countries that enjoy the luxury of heat all year round, where limes, lemons, coriander and mint are king, where spices are used to great effect and flavours are strong but not heavy. Spending time with friends and family, inside or outside, calls for what I like to describe to my children as ‘interactive’ food: things you can stuff, pack or build yourself, adding as much or as little as you like. Some of my favourite types of interactive food include homemade pizza, fajitas or pitta bread. Or my latest creation, chicken tacos, taking inspiration from Mexico, full of smoky chilli, fresh coriander, yoghurt and lime with juicy salsa and smooth but spiky guacamole on the side.
It’s up to you if you choose crispy or soft tacos. Personally, I prefer soft. While the crunch of the crispy ones is very satisfying, they are nigh on impossible to eat with your hands and you end up having to use cutlery. You can also adapt the heat and flavours in any component of this assembly: add some Cayenne or finely ground white pepper to the chicken, chop more chilli for the salsa or add a spritz of Tabasco, add coriander or more garlic to the guacamole, depending on your audience and their preferred tastes. This is what makes these tacos a great all-round dish for everyone. Whether they love it hot or mild, they can build their own bespoke food.
