Sweet and Spicy Asian Veggie Tacos

These Sweet and Spicy Asian Veggie Tacos are a quick and easy weeknight meal and a great choice for Meatless Mondays.

So this happened.

In some strange parallel universe Asian flavors met Mexican delivery system and it was all kinds of weird and wonderful.

The inspiration for these Asian Vegetarian Tacos came from Chef Harris Salat, who was recently on NPR discussing his cookbook, The Japanese Grill. In my short 5 minute car ride home, I was able to catch the details of his recipe for corn on the cob. Salat talked about how Japanese grilling focuses on balancing flavors, and his corn on the cob was just that–a perfect blend of savory and sweet.

The recipe was simple. Salat grills corn on the cob, brushing it with a blend of soy sauce (which is savory) and mirin (which is slightly sweet). By the time I left the car I was drooling. Dinner was already decided.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have any corn on the cob, but we did have a whole bunch of other fresh veggies. So I rummaged through the produce door, pulled out some zucchini, peppers, and onions and went to work whisking up a sauce.

I started with the basics of Salat’s recipe–equal parts mirin and soy, and, with the idea of balancing flavors in the back of my mind, a little Sriracha for heat.

The veggies got sauteed in sesame oil until charred on the edges then got bathed in the sweet, savory, spicy sauce. Things were getting good.

But something was missing. Rice was the obvious choice, but I was feeling impatient and didn’t want to wait 20 minutes for rice to cook.

I searched the pantry, then the fridge, and finally spotted it. An opened package of soft corn tortillas, leftover from taco night.

Bingo.

You know how the rest of this story goes.

Sweet and savory veggies got stuffed into warm grilled tacos. Sour cream and sriracha and cilantro all got thrown into the mix. There was much rejoicing and dancing in the streets (or just in the kitchen).

This is a quick and easy weeknight meal and a great choice for Meatless Mondays. If you use corn tortillas, this is also gluten free. Just be sure to use Tamari soy sauce and check your labels to ensure the mirin is gluten free. Save this one for a party–it’s one vegetarians, meat eaters, the health conscious, and the gluten free can all enjoy!