We went to track down Irma at her eponymous Tex-Mex restaurant, Irma’s Original. The sign outside read ‘Comida como en su casa’ – food just like at home. The restaurant was in a parking lot in central Houston with corrugated walls, Bud Light signs and Mexican wind chimes. Inside was packed with people dipping tortillas, downing margaritas and forking beautiful combinations into taco shells.
The tables were covered in a mad assortment of plastic covers, from snakeskin to bright floral to leopard print. Baseball memorabilia, photos of Irma winning prizes, neon signs and trinkets lined the walls and one room was entirely festooned with Christmas lights – a flashing web across the whole ceiling. This is Irma’s bold, fun style, which was confirmed the following day at her own home.
Irma was firm, sure and matter-of-fact, which perhaps comes from raising kids and running a successful business on her own. There was a team of great women behind her, two of whom were there to help prep the immense Tex-Mex feast. We could have sat and clinked lime-plugged Coronas with Irma and her pals all night.
Grandma Irma’s Tex-Mex Tacos
(Feeds 4–6)
Ingredients
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
400g (14oz) minced beef
1 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 green chilli, chopped (Irma uses a similar native chilli called serrano)
1 small carrot, diced into 1/2cm (1/4in) cubes
1 floury potato, diced into 1cm (1/2in) cubes
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
1 green pepper, roughly chopped
1 red pepper, roughly chopped
1 fresh tomato, diced (optional)
2 spring onions, chopped
1 x 400g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 handful fresh coriander, chopped, plus extra to serve
8 traditional Mexican corn tortillas, 4 soft corn tortillas (to make your own) or 8 pre-made hard taco shells
vegetable oil, for deep frying, if needed
Method
In a large pan heat the rapeseed oil over a medium flame and put the minced beef into the sizzling oil. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon while it browns for a few minutes.
Once browned a little all over, season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat slightly and stir in the cumin, garlic and green chilli.
Next add the veg: the carrot, potato, quartered onion, peppers, fresh tomato and spring onions. Stir to combine.
Empty the tin of tomatoes into the pan followed by half a tin of water and the tomato purée. Stir again, taste and season more if it needs it, cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes. When the time is up, throw in the handful of coriander and leave to cook for a further 5 minutes.
To make the tacos, Irma put soft 15cm (6in) corn tortillas into a pan of hot oil, pushed down the middle of the tortilla with a fork and cooked until golden to make it into a folded taco shape for piling filling in. Try this yourself with the larger soft tortillas you can buy in the UK or use shop-bought hard taco shells and add your beef filling. Irma served hers with guacamole, rice, beans and salsa.
