Tacos with kidney beans, Salsa and Rice

People in Ahmedabad simply love eating out. I said the same about Bangalore, but here the queues outside every type of restaurant, especially on weekends is simply mind boggling.

Be it a Gurarati thali, Punjabi, Multi Cusine, South Indian, every single restaurant has people pouring in.
This city is largely vegetarian (the first vegetarian Pizza Hut is in Ahmedabad !!) but there are some really nice non vegetarian joints too.


Pic taken much later with slight changes to the recipe and made mango salsa instead of a tomato salsa

Mexican food is one such favorite here and almost every dish has kidney beans (rajma) with a lot of ketchup in it.
I know it doesnt sound exactly tempting, but it actually can taste good, like I discovered.
I must admit I havent had too much of that here, but decided on making my vegetarian Mexican dinner tonight.
Turned out quite delicious and didnt leave you with that stuffed feeling...

Here's my Mexican dinner - Tacos with kidney beans, Salsa and Rice

Tacos

What you need -

12 Taco shells (got the ones made out of corn here)

2 cups kidney beans (soaked overnight and cooked)

2 large tomatoes pureed

3 cloves garlic

1 onion chopped

oregano, salt and pepper to taste

chilli garlic sauce

1 big cup shredded cabbage, green bell pepper, onion

3 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 cup grated cheese

What you do with it -

Heat oil in a pan and add garlic, onion and fry for a while

Add the tomato puree, oregano, salt and pepper

Add the kidney beans and mash a bit

Cook till done

On the taco shells, spread a tsp of the tomato ketchup and chilli garlic sauce

Then add a layer of the kidney bean mash

Sprinkle the shredded cabbage, green bell pepper and onion

Top with grated cheese

Salsa Sauce

What you need -

2 large tomatoes chopped fine

1 onion chopped fine

1 cucumber chooped fine

1/2 green bell pepper chopped fine

2 green chillies chopped fine

salt and pepper

juice of 1 lemon

few coriander leaves chopped

1 tbsp tomato ketchp

1 tbsp chilli garlic sauce

What you do with it -

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and keep in the refrigerator

Rice

What you need -

1 cup long grained rice

4 cloves garlic

2 onions chopped

2 tomatoes chopped

1/2 cup shelled corn

1 large green bell pepper chopped

3 red chillies cut fine

1 big green chilli

oregano, salt, pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

What you do with it -

In a large deep bottomed, add the olive oil and then the chopped red chillies

Add garlic, onions and rice

Fry till the rice turns golden

Add green bell pepper and fry for 3-4 mins

Add tomatoes, corn, salt, pepper and oregano and the green chilli

Add one cup of vegetable broth (or water, if broth is not available)

Cover and cook till done

Sending this recipe to Harvest - the festival of Rice hosted by Sudeshna
Serve tacos with rice and salsa