Black Bean Tortilla Bake

I prepared this dish last Christmas for my office lunch. It was a huge hit  :)

I found this recipe on food.com , it is very filling and tastes yummy. Tortilla as in main recipe makes it soggy, so I use tortilla chips to give it a crunch. Here is my version of the recipe

Black Bean Tortilla Bake

1 can of Black beans
1 can diced tomato puree (8 oz)
1 small onion - Chopped
1/2 Fresh jalapeno or 4-5 pickled jalapeno (finely chopped)
2 cloves of garlic -finely chopped
1 packet tortilla chip
1 and half  cup Mexican or Cheddar cheese
Olive oil or vegetable oil
1 Bell Pepper(optional)
Salt
Black Pepper
Pinch of Cayenne pepper

For topping

Sour Cream
Olives
Pickled Jalapeno
Tomatoes
Pico de gallo
Cilantro

• Preheat the oven at 350 F meanwhile heat oil in a big pan, add chopped garlic, and tomatoes. Mix well and cook for about a minute.
• Add bell pepper, salt, black pepper and cayenne and mix it  again
• Add tomato puree and beans, give a nice stir.
• Turn off the heat.
• In a greased baking pan add a layer of tortilla chips, add black bean layer and at last add a layer of cheese.
• Repeat this procedure and use all the black bean mixture.
• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Serve hot  with the toppings

Suki Bhaji

Sukhi Bhaji 

4 Medium size potatoes
1/2  T Sp Cumin Seeds
1/2 T Sp Mustard Seeds
A Pinch of Asafoetida/Hing
Salt to taste
1 T Sp Turmeric Powder
1 T Sp  Coriander-Cumin Powder
2 Small Pepper Serrano
1 T Sp Chopped Ginger
7-8 Curry Leaves (Optional)
1 Small Roma Tomato
2 Tb Sp. Oil
Cilantro

• Boil the potatoes and remove the skin
• Cut into medium chunks and sprinkle salt, coriander-cumin powder. Also add tomato pieces, chopped pepper,ginger, curry leaves  
• Heat oil in a Pan, add Mustard seeds, Cumin Seeds and hing
• Add turmeric and the potatoes
• Mix well and make sure not to mash the potatoes. Keep on the stove for about 2 minutes and garnish with cilantro.
• Serve hot with Thepla or Paratha  and fried green chili

Gharvada

My mom makes this snack from leftover simple khichdi, you can also use leftover rice instead of Khichdi.

1 Cup cooked plain Khichdi/Rice

1/2 Cup Besan

1/2 T Sp Turmeric

1/2 T Sp Garlic Paste

1/2 T Sp Ginger Paste

1 Green Pepper - Finely chopped

1 T Sp Red Chili Powder

Salt to Taste

1/2 T Sp Cumin-Coriander Powder

Cilantro 

1/4 Cup Buttermilk

Oil 

• Mix all the ingredients except oil
• Spray griddle or skillet with oil
• Heat and pour the batter
• Spread evenly 
• Turn when browned and continue cooking on other side
• Serve hot with Tomato ketchup or Sliced onion mixed with Salt and Lemon Juice.

You can even fry as dumplings.

Simple Khichdi : Rice and mung lentils boiled and cooked until tender, only salt is added for flavor.

Bateta Nu Shak (Spicy Potato Curry)

3-4 Potato cut into small cubes
1/2 T Sp Mustard Seeds
1/2 T Sp Cumin Seeds
A pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)
1 T Sp Turmeric Powder
2 T Sp Red Chili Powder
1 T Dhana-Jeera Powder  (Coriander-Cumin Powder)
Salt to taste
3 Tb Sp Oil
1/2 T Sp Sugar
1 Whole Dry Chili

• Heat oil in Pressure Cooker.
• Add Mustard Seeds, when it crackles, add Cumin seeds followed by whole dry chili.
• Add hing and Turmeric
• Add Potatoes, cook in the oil for a minute.
• Add Chili Powder, Dhana-jeera powder and salt. 
• Mix everything and add 1 Cup of water.
• Pressure cook with 2 whistles.
• Garnish with Cilantro and serve hot with Chapati or Steamed Rice.

Creamy Cucumber Raita

1 Cucumber
1 Cup Greek Yogurt
salt and pepper
2 Tsp Lemon/Lime Juice
1 Tb Sp Sugar (Optional)
1 Tsp Paprika
1 Tsp Cumin Powder
Cilantro

• Peel and cut the cucumber
• In a bowl, mix all the ingredients very well.
• Garnish with cilantro and refrigerate the raita
• Serve it cold

Spicy Cabbage Curry

Spicy Cabbage

3-4 Cup Cabbage Chopped nicely
2-3 Tb Sp Oil
Mustard and Cumin seeds (about 1 Tsp)
Asafoetida (optional)
1 Tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Tb Sp Paprika
1 Tsp Cumin - Coriander Powder
1 Tb Sp Sugar (Optional)
1/2 cup or 1 small tomato cut into small pieces
Salt per taste
1/2 Small pepper diced

• Heat Oil and Add Mustard and Cumin seeds, let the seeds crackle
• Add Asafoetida followed by cabbage
• Mix well and cook until 1-2 minutes
• Add all the spices and chopped pepper
• Mix nicely and cover the pan
• Cook on low flame
• You can add little water if you want otherwise watch and dont let it burn
• When Cabbage is half done add tomatoes and sugar
• Cook throughly and serve hot

Warm Black Bean Salsa

"Necessity is the mother of invention:" is true in this case. This weekend I ran out of vegetables and had no idea what to cook. Grabbed whatever I had and came out with this idea. It turned out great. Used as a stuffing along with Taco Spiced cheesy potatoes for my lazy Saturday Tacos!

1 Can Black Bean
1/2 Cup Frozen Corn
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Tomato Cut into Pieces
1 Tbsp Chopped Garlic
2-3 Pickled Jalapeno Slices (Finely Chopped)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper
Cilantro

• Drain and rinse the bean
• Heat the Oil in a pan
• Add Garlic and saute for 30 seconds
• Add Onion and cook for 2-3 minutes
• Add Corn and Jalapeno
• Add Tomato followed by Beans
• Season with Salt and Pepper
• Cook for about 3-4 minutes
• Add Lemon Juice and Cilantro

Acorn Squash (Indian style sabji)

Masala Acorn Squash

1 Medium Acorn Squash
2-3 Tb Sp Oil
Mustard and Cumin seeds (about 1 Tsp)
1 Tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Tb Sp Chili Powder (Paprika)
1 Tsp Cumin - Coriander Powder
1/2 Cup Water
2 Tb Sp Salt

• Cut the Acorn Squash into small pieces (I did not remove the skin, you can remove the skin if you prefer that way)
• Heat the oil and add Mustard and Cumin seeds
• Add Squash
• Mix well and let it cook in oil for a minute
• Add all spices and mix well
• add water and cover the pan
• cook until it is done

Mix Vegetable Khichdi (Girnari Khichdi or Ram Khichdi)

This is the comfort food I love to eat any time. It is quick and very healthy. It goes well with Kadhi or Yogurt/Buttermilk. I love it with yogurt and papad.

1/2 cup rice
1/2 cup split mung beans ( You can also use any split beans i.e. Split Gram, I also add lentils you find at Walmart)
1 Green Pepper (Any hot pepper will work)
Ginger
2-3 Tbsp Oil
1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
1 to 2  Tb Sp. paprika

1 Tbsp Turmeric
2 Cups chopped vegetables -   (Generally  I use half Onion, 1 Potato, 1/2 cup Peas, 1 small Eggplant, 1 Tomato, 1/2 cup Cauliflower or Broccoli  florets, 1 or 2 Carrots. You can use any vegetables you have )
salt
water

Garnishing:
2 Green Onions
Cilantro

• Heat Oil and Add Mustard/Cumin seeds, let it crackle.
• Add chopped onions followed by all other vegetables
• Add all the spices
• Mix it well, add 2 cups of water
• Wash Rice and Dals and mix into vegetables
• Let it cook until everything is cooked perfectly
• Garnish with finely chopped green onion and cilantro
• You can also top it with little bit ghee or butter.

Banana Curry (Kele ki Sabji/Kela nu Shak)

2-3 bananas
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
2-3 tbsp oil
curry leaves(optional)
Tomato (optional)

1 bell pepper/ any kind of pepper(optional)

1/2 tsp cumin/mustard seeds

Remove Banana skin and slice them

Heat oil in a pan

Add mustard/cumin seeds

Add Turmeric powder

Add Banana and other spices. Keep on stove for 5 minutes.

Garnish with Cilantro and serve hot with chapatis, papad and jeera chhash.

It is very easy and you can cook in 5-10 minutes without any preparation.

Potato Rice (Vagharela Bhat)

Potato Rice

2 Medium Potatoes
1 cup Rice
2 small green peppers
1/2 inch of Ginger piece
6-7 curry leaves
Salt according to taste
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2-3 teaspoon Paprika

1/2 tsp mustard/cumin seeds

2-3 Tablespoon Oil
Coriander/ Cilantro fro garnishing

• Cut potatoes and other vegetables into small pieces. Wash and soak rice
• Heat Oil in a pressure cooker or pan. When Oil is hot enough add mustard/Cumin seeds. Wait until they crackle
• Add Potatoes, fry them in oil for a minute. Add turmeric powder, salt, paprika and all other ingredients except cilantro. Add Rice and water. If you are using pressure cooker take 2-3 whistle. Otherwise cook until potatoes and rice are cooked thoroughly.
• Garnish with Cilantro and enjoy hot potato rice with yogurt.

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