Tostadas: the 7-layer Chip

I'm sure that anyone who was at a Super Bowl party over the weekend came into contact with a 7-layer dip. Beans, cheese, salsa, sour cream and other things that would add up to seven ingredients are layered on top of each other to create the ultimate chip-dipping experience. This is a wholly American invention, though, of course, it has its roots in an authentic Mexican dish.

Tostadas are the original source. A tostada combines beans, chickens and all of Mexico's most common and delicious garnishes, but contained entirely on one individual cacala (a fried corn tortilla...y'know, a chip). Upon arriving in Mexico, the tostada quickly became one of my favorite dishes, and, unlike many other Mexican foods, are not as widely available or known in the United States. Luckily, constructing tostadas is as easy as 1, 2, 3...(4, 5, 6, 7).

Ingredients
cacalas (whole fried corn tortillas)
refried beans
sliced onion
shredded chicken
salsa
shredded lettuce (or cabbage)
Mexican crema (a more liquid version of sour cream)
queso fresco

Directions

1 - Spread a layer of refried beans on a cacala.

2 - Top the beans with sliced raw onion.

3 - Cover with shredded chicken.

4 - Add salsa on top of the chicken.

5 - Put a giant handful of shredded lettuce on the salsa.

6 - Squirt on some artful ribbons of Mexican crema (use a squeezee bottle for super ease).

7 - Sprinkle the queso fresco on top. Enjoy!