Mexican empalmes with beans and beef | Crispy street food

Finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat one tablespoon of lard in a pan, sauté the onion, then add the ground beef. Season with salt, add the smoked paprika and ground cumin, then fry for 6-8 minutes until juicy. Then transfer to a bowl.

Put the drained black beans into the same pan. Warm them over medium heat and mash them roughly with a fork or potato masher (frijoles refritos style) until you get a thick, spreadable paste, then season lightly with salt and toss with the spiced juices remaining in the pan.

Assemble the sandwiches: spread the warm bean puree evenly over four corn tortillas, top with the seasoned fried ground beef, sprinkle generously with the grated Gouda cheese, then cover each with another corn tortilla and press down lightly with your palm.