Spicy Refried Beans

Refried beans called as frijoles refritos in Spanish are cooked and mashed beans. The term 'refried' here is a borrowed one from Spanish and it means well fried though the prefix 're' is misleading. Refried beans is a staple dish in Mexican and Latin cuisines and is used in many dishes such as bean burritos, toastada, seven layer dip, nachos and others. Pinto beans, black beans or red (kidney) beans are used to prepare refried beans. If necessary the dry beans are soaked overnight and cooked and then mashed. The bean paste is then fried or baked with onion and garlic using a small amount of fat and seasoned with salt and spices. Epazote, a Mexican herb is also commonly used in the preparation of refried beans. Lard, bacon drippings, butter or oil can be used to cook refried beans though lard is commonly used in Mexico.

Canned beans would be an easier option if you want to cut down the prep time. Just drain the liquid from the can and rinse the beans thoroughly before using. I have used a 15 oz can of red beans here to prepare the refried beans. Usually I prepare a simple, basic version of refried beans but this time, I tried a spicier version bookmarked from food network. This was used to prepare toastada that I posted yesterday.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. oil / butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Serrano pepper / Chili powder to taste
One 15 oz can of pinto beans, black beans or kidney beans
1/4 cup water / stock
1/2 tsp. cumin powder
Salt to taste
Cracked black pepper to taste

Method:
* Heat oil or butter in a pan and add onion,  garlic and Serrano pepper if using. Saute until onion and garlic slightly brown.
* Drain the liquid from the can and rinse the beans thoroughly. Add the beans, liquid, cumin powder and some chili powder if Serrano pepper was not used. 
* Cook over medium heat,  mashing the beans with a potato masher or the back of a ladle. Take care to not mash the Serrano pepper. 
* The beans can be mashed to a chunky or a smooth puree. Cook until desired consistency is reached, adding more liquid if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the Serrano pepper before serving.

Note:
* If not using canned beans, soak the beans in water prior to cooking to fasten the cooking process. Kidney beans may need overnight soaking where as pinto beans and black beans can be soaked for around a couple of hours. 
* Drain the water used to soak and add fresh water to cook. Pressure cooking the beans in water with a ratio of 1:2  would be the fastest and easiest way. If cooking in a suace pan, cook on medium heat, adding water intermittently as needed until the beans soften.

This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under 'Bookmarked Recipes' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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Mexican Toastada

This vegetarian version toastada was in my 'bookmarked' folder for too long and at last, I got to try them last weekend. A toastada is like an open faced sandwich / taco, but involving fried corn tortillas, refried beans and toppings. There are versions involving fish, chicken and beef too. The refried bean paste goes as the first layer over toastada since it sticks to the shells and holds the other toppings well.
 
If you want to keep the experience of making toastada stress free, go with store bought toastada shells, refried beans and salsa. It cuts down the prep time drastically and one can enjoy toastada in no time. Or if one is feeling adventurous, they can start from scratch including making tortillas at home and frying them. I used the store bought toastada shells and salsa where as I made my own batch of refried beans using red beans. Most of the store bought refried bean cans have lard in them and so watch out, if you are a vegetarian.

Recipe Source: Here
Ingredients:
8 corn toastada shells or corn tortillas
Oil to fry, only if using the tortillas
1.5 cup refried beans 
1/2 cup salsa
1 avocado, peeled and cubed or guacamole as needed
1 small tomato, cubed
Shredded lettuce as needed 
Lemon juice to taste
Salt to taste
4 oz. grated Monterrey Jack, cheddar, or crumbled queso fresco cheese
A handful of chopped cilantro

Method:
* Follow this step only if using tortillas. Pour enough oil in a pan to fry the tortillas and heat it. Drop one tortilla at a time and fry until golden brown on both sides and crisp through out. Remove the tortilla with a slotted spoon or using tongs. Lift the tortilla above the pan so that excess oil drips back into the pan. Place the fried tortillas on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Or avoid the step and use the store bought shells.
* The original recipe mentions to season the lettuce with salt and vinegar. I combined avocado, tomato, and lettuce and seasoned it with salt and lemon juice instead. 
* Spread a layer of refried bean paste over the toastada. Sprinkle the toppings and cheese over it. Do not load the shell with too much toppings since it becomes hard to eat it without making a mess.


This is going to be a part of Blogging marathon #64 under 'Bookmarked Recipes' and check here to find out what other marathoners are cooking today.

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Mango Salsa

The word salsa though conjures up an image of a tomato based one, there are varieties of salsa that do not use tomato. The word 'salsa' is the Spanish term for 'sauce' which in turn comes from Latin meaning salty. One of the non-tomato based salsa happens to be this spicy, sweet mango salsa that goes well with nachos, burritos, burgers to name a few. This interesting salsa is a perfect addition for summer gatherings when you find ripe mangoes in abundance. This vibrant colored salsa is also used as a garnish on grilled fish / chicken according to wiki. Chose ripe but yet firm mangoes to prepare this salsa.

Ingredients:
1 cup peeled and cubed ripe mango
2 tbsp. finely chopped red onion
1/2 or 1 jalapeno chile, finely minced (Adjust according to the spice level preferred.)
2 tbsp. finely minced cilantro
1 to 2 tbsp. lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste 

Method:
* Combine mango cubes, onion, chile and cilantro in a bowl.
* Sprinkle salt and pepper and squeeze lemon / lime juice into the bowl. Toss the bowl to combine.
* Adjust the seasonings if needed and chill for few minutes before serving.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 56

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An InLinkz Link-up

Guacamole

'Chips and Dip' has to be the most frequently eaten guilt-free snack in my home, next to fresh fruits. Thanks to my husband, our pantry is always filled with a variety of baked chips and dips to beat the evening hungry pangs. Though I rarely make salsa at home, we prefer guacamole freshly made. Guacamole hardly takes anytime to prepare from scratch and tastes awesome with tortilla chips. And so no wonder that this was a part of my plan for this week's theme from the beginning and the first dish I made for this BM.
This avocado based dip is said to be created by Aztecs, in the present day Mexico. Guacamole is equally popular in America and is used as a dip, condiment and salads. The word guacamole comes from an Aztec word 'āhuacamolli', literally meaning avocado sauce. Traditionally this dip is made by mashing ripe avocado just with sea salt using mortar and pestle. Additional seasonings of one's choice like onion, tomato, pepper, cilantro / basil, lime juice and others can be added as well. Using good variety, ripe (not overripe) avocado is the secret behind a perfect guacamole.

Ingredients:
1 cup coarsely mashed avocado (About one and half avocados.)
Salt to taste
Juice squeezed from one lime 
2 -3 tbsp. red onion minced
2 tbsp. tomato, desseded and minced
1 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
1 Serrano pepper , deseeded and finely minced (Start with half pepper if heat is not preferred.)

Method: 
* Cut the avocados lengthwise into two halves and remove the seed. Scoop out the avocado pulp from the peel and add it to a mixing bowl.
* Roughly mash the avocado using a fork. Sprinkle salt and squeeze out some lemon / lime juice over the avocado. Add the remaining ingredients and combine gently with the fork.
* Serve with tortilla chips immediately. If not using immediately, cover the dip with a plastic wrap and refrigerate until use.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 56

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An InLinkz Link-up

Baked Vegetarian Taquitos

A taquito meaning a small roll or a rolled taco in Spanish refers to the Mexican dish of a rolled tortilla with a meat or cheese filling that is crisp fried. The dish is called as 'flauta' meaning flute in Spanish when they are larger in size than taquitos. Commonly corn tortillas are used to make taquitos and are typically topped with sour cream, guacamole, salsa and crumbled queso fresco, the Mexican cheese. I went with a bean-veggie filling and baked them for a guilt free version. These taquitos make a great, filling snack. 

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 big onion, finely minced
3/4 cup grated carrot
3/4 cup cooked black beans
2 cups chopped spinach
1 tbsp. taco seasoning
Salt to taste
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese / Cheddar cheese
Tortillas (I used 8 inch whole wheat ones.)

Method:
* Heat oven to 450 deg F.
* Heat oil in a saute pan and add onion. Fry until it turns translucent. Add spinach and carrot and cook until done. Next add black beans, salt and taco seasoning and cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool a bit.
 
* Spoon a tbsp. of filling onto the center of each tortilla and top with cheese. (I actually wanted the taquitos to be filling and added more stuffing, ending up with chubby taquitos.)
* Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling.
 
* Place the tortillas, seam side down on the baking sheet.
 
* Spray or brush with oil and bake for about 10 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown. Flip and bake for another five minutes.
* Serve immediately when they are warm and crispy.
* Refrigerate the left overs and heat them again in the oven at 350 deg F before serving.
This is my entry under "Tortilla based dishes" for BM #53. Check the blogging marathon page to see what my fellow marathoners are cooking today.

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Black Bean Quesadillas

 
A quesadilla pronounced 'qay-sah-dee-yah' is a corn or wheat tortilla with a savory filling containing cheese and other ingredients. Quesadillas originated in Mexico and the dish has evolved over the years due to the experiments resulting in variations. The common filling used is Oaxaca cheese and other ingredients like cooked vegetables and cooked meat can be added as well. A quesadilla is folded in half to form a half  moon shape and cooked on a griddle. Another version popular in U.S. is where the filling / cheese is sandwiched between two flour tortillas and cooked on both sides until cheese melts. Then quesadillas is cut into wedges and served. Quesadillas are often served with salsa, guacamole and chopped onion. 
I used a black bean, corn, cheddar cheese based filling for my quesadillas. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare this quick and filling quesadillas if the beans are ready. For a quick fix version, canned beans and store bought salsa can be used. The filling can be prepare ahead and can be refrigerated to prepare a quick, impromptu meal.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked / canned black beans
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup salsa + extra for serving
2 tsp. taco seasoning
1/4 cup minced cilantro
3/4 cup melting cheese of your choice (I used cheddar cheese.)
Salt to taste
Six 8" whole wheat tortillas
Oil to toast

Method:
* Rinse if using canned beans. Mash coarsely the beans if desired. Combine beans, corn, salsa, cilantro and taco seasoning in a bowl. Add salt if needed.
* Spread about 1/2 cup bean mixture on half of each tortilla. Sprinkle about 2 tbsp. cheese over the bean mixture. Fold the tortillas in half and gently press to flatten them.
* Heat 1/4 tsp. oil on a non stick skillet over medium heat. Add quesadilla and cook until it turns golden brown, flipping once. Repeat the steps with the remaining quesadillas.
* Serve the quesadillas warm with salsa.

This is my entry under "Tortilla based dishes" for BM #53. Check the blogging marathon page to see what my fellow marathoners are cooking today.

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