Fajitas (Recipe)

Ingredients

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 medium onion, sliced

1 medium green sweet pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro (optional)

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 1/2 pounds beef round steak or skinless, boneless chicken breasts (cut into thin strips)

8 7-inch flour tortillas

Condiments: shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, grilled onions, sweet peppers, sour cream and/or salsa (optional)

Steps

1. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cumin, paprika, chili powder and oregano.  Set aside.

2. In a large skillet or wok over medium low heat, heat the cooking oil.  Add the onion and green sweet pepper.  Cook and stir until the vegetables are just tender.

3. Add the garlic, cilantro (if using), lime juice and the seasoning mixture.  Continue cooking over medium-low heat for 2 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetable mixture to a bowl; set aside.

4. Increase the heat medium-high.  Add half of the beef or chicken to the skillet or wok.  Cook until the beef reaches the desired doneness or the chicken is tender and no longer pink.  Transfer the beef or chicken to the bowl with the vegetable mixture.  Repeat with the remaining beef or chicken.

5. Return all of the meat and vegetables to the skillet.  Heat through.  Serve the meat and vegetables rolled in the flour tortillas with the desired condiments.

Tips:

To soften tortillas, wrap a stack of them in foil.  Heat in a 350° oven for 10 minutes.

For 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, you'll need half of a lime.

For optimum tenderness when using beef in this recipe, bias-slice it by cutting thinly across the grain.  This is easiest to do when the meat is partially frozen and firm, but not hard.  Hold a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle to the surface of the cutting board and cut thin, diagonal slices.

Cooking only half of the meat at one time helps ensure that it well all be cooked thoroughly.  If all of the meat is cooked at once, it will steam instead of brown.

Cumin is a small amber-colored seed from a plant in the parsley family.  It is used in making chili powder and curry powder. 

Cilantro is the leaf of the coriander plant.  If it's not available, use finely snipped parsley or celery leaves.