Tostada - Mexican Pizza

Every once in a while, I make a Mexican themed menu. I keep all the ingredients on the table and everyone can choose their own ingredients per their preference. Gudiya does not like raw onions, I don't take cheese and my husband eats everything.

Tostada
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup cooked black beans
1/2 cup grated Mexican cheese

Garnish
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. chopped green onions
2 tbsp. chopped onions
2 tbsp. red but firm tomatoes

lime wedges
avocado slices
Hot sauce

Tostada shells

Method
1. Take a crispy tostada shell.
2. Spread drained black beans.
3. If you are using cheese, place it in microwave for 30 seconds or till the cheese melts.
4. Garnish with any or all items of your choice.
5. Serve immediately

Note -
1. Tostada shells are easily available in the market. But if not, you can easily crisp up tortilla/flatbread/chapatti.
2. I used blue corn tortilla shells.
3. I generally soak and later cook black beans with turmeric powder, salsa, cumin powder and salt.




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Flan

 

 

 

This is wonderful dessert which has different names all over the world. But the great bard has said - what's in name, right?

It's called Flan in Mexico, Pudim Flan in Brazil and Portugal and we call it "Caramel Custard" in India. My aunt's recipe was pressure cooker based and I will share it some other time. But today's recipe is from my co-worker, Maria. According to her, this is the most common recipe for making Flan in her part of the world.

Flan
Ingredients

For Caramel Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water

Pudding
14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
Whole milk, use the same can to measure
4 eggs, whisked

Method
1. Let's make the caramel sauce first. Mix sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to boil on medium flame. Simmer on low flame for about 15-20 minutes. It should have that caramel color.

2. Pour into the bottom of the mold. If serving in individual containers, take about 8 ramekins. Divide the caramel sauce among them. Swirl so it coats the bottom and sides evenly.

3. Preheat oven 350F
4. Use an electric beater and whisk eggs, condensed milk. After pouring the condensed milk, use the same can to measure the whole milk. Mix all three ingredients.
5. Sieve through a strainer.
6. Pour into the cold mold/ramekins.
7. Take a large pan in which the mold or ramekins will fit. Pour water in the pan. Place the molds/ramekins. Cover with an aluminum foil.

8. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

9. Take out carefully.
10. Chill in the fridge.
11. Before serving, take off. Loosen the edge with a knife.
12. Invert onto a serving plate.
13. Enjoy!

Note -
1. If you don't want to use the oven, you can make this in a pressure cooker as well. Add water to the pressure cooker as usual. Place your mould covering with aluminum foil. Bring to full pressure. Reduce the flame to medium low and steam for 15-20 minutes.


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Stuffed Poblano

 

I spotted some good-looking poblano peppers at the Farmers Market. I decided to stuff them with quinoa and black beans.

 

Stuffed Poblano
Ingredients
4 Poblano peppers

Quinoa Stuffing
1 cup cooked Rainbow Quinoa
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. chopped spring onion

Black beans
1 Cup cooked black beans
1/4 cup salsa
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chili powder
salt to taste

Guacamole Sauce
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup buttermilk ranch dressing
salt and black pepper

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese

Garnish
1/2 lime
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 tbsp. chopped onion
2 tbsp. chopped firm tomato or red bell pepper
2 tbsp. chopped spring onion, greens

Method

1. Rinse and pat dry poblano peppers. Place on a heated cast iron pan.

Keep turning till they are uniformly blistered from all the sides.

2. Switch off the gas. Cover the cast iron pan completely so steam will help cook the poblanos.

3. When the peppers are at room temperature, remove the lid. Peel off the peppers and make a slit with a knife. Remove the seeds.

2. Cook quinoa according to the instructions of the packet. Fluff it with a fork. Stir in cilantro and spring onion. Set aside.

3. Pressure cook black beans. Add salsa, spice powders and simmer till the beans are dry. Set aside.

4. Process avocado, garlic, salt, pepper and buttermilk ranch dressing in a mini food processor till it's smooth and creamy. Set aside.
5. Mix quinoa, beans and avocado sauce, when you are ready to stuff poblanos.

6. Stuff each poblano with quinoa mixture.
7. Sprinkle grated cheese on top.

8. When you are ready to eat, microwave or broil for about a minute or till the cheese is melted.
9. Squeeze lemon juice on top. Garnish with cilantro, spring onion, onion and red bell pepper or tomato.

Note-
1. I used rainbow quinoa. Regular quinoa would work too.
2. I used 1 cup cooked quinoa and 1 cup cooked black beans. This is not 1 cup raw quinoa or 1 cup raw black beans. 1 cup raw quinoa or beans will make at least triple amount of cooked counterpart. You can freeze remaining cooked beans/grains.
3. Depending on the shape and size of the poblano peppers, the required amount of quinoa/beans mixture may vary.



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Tilapia Veracruz

 

Today's dish is inspired by "Snapper Veracruz" that we sampled at "Azteca" Mexican restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Apprantly, Veracruz is a port in Mexico which is known for its seafood delicacies

The addition of turmeric powder will instantly tell you that this dish is not an authentic Mexican fare. I just have to use turmeric powder for any seafood dishes probably that's how I am used to eating/cooking.

Tilapia Veracruz
Ingredients

Marinate
2 Tilapia Fillets
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp cumin powder
salt to taste

Tempering
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 firm tomato, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinl sliced
2 tbsp. minced cilantro
1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 tbsp. salsa [I used Jack's Salsa from Costco]

Garnish
1 tbsp. lemon juice
salt & freshy ground black pepper

Method
1. Rinse and pat dry the fillets
2. Marinate with the ingredients
3. Heat cast iron pan. Add oil.
4. Saute onion & garlic till golden brown.
5. Add red pepper and tomato. Saute for 5 minutes.
6. Add Italian seasoning and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Take the veggies around the cast iron pan. Make some space in the middle. Place the marinated fillets.
8. Pour salsa on top. Cover and let it cook for 5 minutes.

9. Switch off the gas. Let it stand for 10 minutes.
10. Serve with brown rice.

Note -
1. Snapper can also be used. In fact, it is the original choice for this dish,


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Black Beans Pizza

 

This pizza is inspired by the recipe featured in WebMD. If you find Barbeque sauce too sweet, add a dash of Sriracha.

 

Black Beans Pizza

Ingredients

Mix

1 cup cooked black beans

1 cup yellow corn kernels

1/2 cup red bell peppers, diced

 

1 recipe pizza crust, readymade okay.

 

1/3 cup barbeque sauce                     

                          

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese             

Garnish

Avocado slices

Cilantro

 

Method

 1. Preheat oven to 400F

2. Spread some barbeque sauce over the prepared pizza crust.

3. Spoon black beans mixture.

4. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese.

5. Bake for about 7 minutes.

6. Garnish with avocado slices and cilantro before serving.

 

Note -

1. Barbeque sauce has a Smokey flavor and it's sweetish in taste.

 

Credits

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/smoky-corn-and-black-bean-pizza

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Mexican Fiesta Bowl (Baked)

Mexican Fiesta bowls are like "katories" that we use for the katori chaat. But they are big enough to hold the entire salad. Deep Fried salad bowls are readily available on the shelves of the supermarket but if you have these baking bowls, then you can easily bake tortillas or chapaties and mold them into these bowl shapes. I even use these bowls to serve Indian Chaat items like Bhel

Mexican Fiesta Bowl
Ingredients
4 Wheat or White Tortilla
2 baking bowls

Oil spray such as Pam

1 recipe Black beans
2 cups Shredded iceberg lettuce
1/4 cup Finely minced onion
1/4 cup Finely minced tomatoes
2 tbsp Finely minced cilantro
1 Avocado, pitted and chopped


Garnish
A spoonful of Salsa per bowl
Shredded Mexican cheese(optional)
A dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt(Optional)

Method
1. Follow this recipe to make black beans. Let them cool down.
2. Preheat oven 400F. Spray oil over the baking bowls. Prick tortillas with a fork so they don't puff up during baking.

3. Line the tortillas around the baking bowls and bake for about 10 minutes or so till they look brown and crispy.

4. Layer the tortilla bowl with shredded lettuce, black beans, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado.
5. Garnish with salsa, shredded Mexican cheese and a dollop of sour cream or yogurt if using.

Note -
1. You can serve any salad or even chaat in these tortilla bowls. They are baked and not fried.
2. Serve immediately after stuffing with lettuce and beans else they will turn very soggy.


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Baked Nachos

I had some leftover blue corn tortillas after making shrimp tacos. I decided to make nachos but instead of deep frying per traditional Nacho recipe, I baked them.


Baked Nachos
Ingredients
5 corn tortillas (I used blue corn tortillas)
Cooking spray
A generous pinch of salt

Suggested Accompaniment
Salsa of your choice
and/or Guacamole

Method
1. Using clean and dry kitchen shears, cut the corn tortillas into bite sized nacho pieces of the desired shapes and sizes.
2. Spray cooking spray generously.
3. Preheat oven 400 F
4. Bake for 12-15 minutes
5. As soon as it's out, sprinkle salt while it is still hot.

Note-
1. After 12 minutes of baking, pay close attention to the nachos. Make sure that they are not over baked.



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Tomatillo Shrimp

We sampled some coastal Mexican food from Guadalajara, recently. It was delicious and different from the usual Mexican fare of bean burrito, Quesidilla, Fajita and taco. As soon as I tried Tomatillo Shrimp, I was dying to make my own version. Don't be surprised if you see some more Coastal Mexican delicacies being featured on this blog in the near future.

Tomatillo Shrimp
Ingredients
1 tbsp oil
3-4 Green Tomatillos, sliced
2 jalapenos (optional)
1 onion, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro
4-5 cloves garlic, sliced

Sugar to taste(optional)

1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning (It's my version so Mexican and Italian live happily in my pantry!!!)
1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 cup shrimp
salt
1/2 tsp turmeric powder(I told you, it's my version, why not Indian then???)

1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sliced onion
1/2 tbsp oil

Method
1. Marinate shrimp with salt and turmeric powder. Refrigerate till ready to use.
2. In a cast iron pan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Saute onion, tomatillos and garlic till they are brown and pulpy. Add Italian seasoning and cumin powder. Add cilantro and fry for 1 minute till it gets wilted. Let it cool down.
3. Grind above mixture. Set aside.
4. In a saucepan, heat 1/2 tbsp oil. Saute sliced onion till they are soft. Add mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes.
5. Now add marinated shrimp. Saute for 2 minutes.
6. Add ground green paste, salt,  and sugar - if using. Add little water if needed.
7. Simmer till thick gravy is formed.
8. Serve with plain rice and tortilla

Note -
1. Though turmeric powder is not used in Mexican cooking,  I like to use turmeric with any seafood.
2. Sugar is added to balance the tart flavor of tomatillos. Adjust per your liking.




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