In a skillet, brown beef until fully cooked. Add in taco seasoning and prepare according to pkg directions.

Heat the oil in a heavy duty large skillet or dutch oven.

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt, and shortening. Use a fork to cut the ingredients together. Pour the milk into the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to mix ingredients in with the milk to form a ball of dough.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll until smooth. Mold the dough into a loaf about 8 inches. Divide the dough into 8 pieces.  Roll each individual section into a ball. Then roll out each ball of dough into a round circle about 6 inch circle.

Carefully place the chalupa dough into the hot oil.  Fry for about 1 minute on one side. Use tongs to flip the dough over.

After you flip the dough, use the tongs to gently fold the dough in half. Hold the dough in that shell shape with the tongs for a minute on one side. Roll the shell shape over to the other side to cook it evenly. If it doesn’t matter to you, just fry on both sides for a minute or two until golden brown and remove from oil onto cooling rack lined with paper towels.

Fill your chalupas with the cooked beef, lettuce, cheese, salsa, and a dollop of sour cream.