Chalupas

A chalupa is a tostada platter in Mexican cuisine. It is a specialty of south-central Mexico, such as the states of Puebla, Guerrero and Oaxaca. Chalupas are made by pressing a thin layer of masa dough around the outside of a small mold, and deep frying to produce crisp, shallow corn cups. These are filled with various ingredients such as shredded chicken, pork, chopped onion, chipotle pepper, red salsa, and green salsa.

Chalupas are very similar food to sopes and garnachas. Their preparation methods are similar, but they are considered completely different dishes, due to several differences, sopes are thick and soft, while the chalupa is thin, and crunchy, for example.

A chalupa is usually longer than a sope, resembling the canoe-like boat that is its namesake, although there are also small versions (named chalupitas) available in other regions as appetizers or snacks. Chalupitas are usually topped with a tablespoon of beans, sour cream and chipotle pepper to add flavor in a similar fashion to nachos.