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Fonda Mexican Recipe Santiago Lastra
Sikil Pak with totopos and pine oil at FondaPhotography by Jacob Lillis

Santiago Lastra’s Recipe for Tortilla Chips and a Mexican Pumpkin Seed Dip

Santiago Lastra shares the recipe for Sikil pak with totopos and pine oil – an elaborate yet rewarding dish from his new restaurant, Fonda

Lead ImageSikil Pak with totopos and pine oil at FondaPhotography by Jacob Lillis

AnOther Dish is a recipe and interview series with London-based chefs, spotlighting new openings and beloved, classic restaurants that stand the test of time.

Sikil Pak with Totopos and Pine Oil

Kelp Oil

Makes: 1 litre
You can also buy avocado leaf oil to replace the kelp oil

Ingredients

1000g veg oil
30g dry arbol chili
300g dry kelp (or kombu)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C
  2. Toast the kelp in the oven for 4 minutes at 170°C
  3. Toast the chili in the oven for 2 minutes at 170°C
  4. Blend the kelp and chili in a blender until you have a fine powder
  5. Head the oil in a pot up to 80°C
  6. Add the powder to the oil and blend with a stick blender for 3 minutes (you can also use a Thermomix). We don’t recommend adding the hot oil in a normal blender as it can splash and also damage the equipment
  7. Strain through a fine strainer or muslin cloth
  8. Store in the fridge

Malic Acid Solution

Makes: 525ml

You can also use lime juice to replace the malic acid solution (it will shorten the shelf life as lime juice can get bitter after being stored). We recommend eating this fresh after made.

Ingredients

500g water
25g malic acid

Method

  1. Whisk ingredients together until the malic acid has dissolved (you can heat the water slightly to aid this process)

Sikil Pak Cream 

Makes: 500 g

Ingredients

150g pumpkin seeds (or pepitas)
60g veg oil
50g malic acid solution (or lime juice)
55g water
6g roasted Thai chili (2 units)*
20g raw spring onion
20g roasted spring onion*
20g chive
40g roasted vine cherry tomato*
15g chervil
75g roasted gooseberries*
5g roasted garlic*
30g kelp oil (or avocado oil)
salt

*Roast whole separately on a pan until you get a dark, even colour on all the sides

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C
  2. Mix the pepitas and the veg oil, spread on a baking tray and roast at 190°C in the oven until lightly toasted. Make sure they’re nicely spread all over the tray to toast evenly, add salt.
  3. Once toasted, remove from the oven and leave to chill at room temperature.
  4. Blend the seeds, with the water and malic acid solution until you have a homogenic puree.
  5. Add water if the solution requires to blend smoothly (the blender might struggle otherwise)
  6. Add the rest of the ingredients to the puree, ensuring you have a smooth sauce
  7. Check the seasoning, add salt to taste. You can also add an extra Thai chilli if you want extra spice

Pine Oil 

Makes: 500 ml
You can also use a mix of olive oil and lime zest to replace the pine oil

Ingredients

200g picked parsley
80g pine needles
500g veg oil

Method

  1. Place all the ingredients in a pan and bring up to 80°C while blending with a hand blender (we recommend a Thermomix for this as well)
  2. Leave to sit in the fridge overnight to infuse
  3. Use a fine strainer or a muslin cloth to pass, reserve cold

Totopos

Makes: 1 portion for 2
You can also buy tortilla chips already made

Ingredients

6 15cm white corn tortillas

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 120°C
  2. Cut the tortillas into 10cm by 3cm stripes and place in between 2 flat trays with parchment paper
  3. Bake the tortilla stripes for 30 min at 120°C and leave to cool in the trays for 15 min
  4. Set a pan with frying oil at 200°C (this is when a drop of water will splash instantly at contact)
  5. Deep fry at 200°C for 2 minutes
  6. Drain on kitchen roll and season lightly with salt

To Finish 

Makes: 1 plate (for 2 people)
Crockery: White bowl, small plate

Ingredients

140g Sikil pak cream
3g pine oil
12 rectangle totopos

Method

  1. Place the Sikil pak cream on a piping bag if possible, serve at room temperature
  2. Pipe 140g grams of the Sikil pak into the bowl, leaving a small concave dent on the top of the Sikil pak cream
  3. Finish the Sikil pak with pine oil on the top to fill the dent
  4. Place the totopos uniformly in three piles of three on the plate

Bookings for Fonda (12 Heddon St, London, W1B 4BZ) can be made here.

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