Can you believe it has been six months since the lockdown? It feels like an eternity with the constant news cycle of mostly negative and sad news. Here in Northern California, the wildfires started earlier and raged stronger this year and are still burning through a record area. In addition to being in lockdown, we also could not go on our nature hikes due to the poor air quality. Taking it one day at a time and praying for those less fortunate – it’s all that one can do to keep one’s sanity.
Meanwhile on the personal front, Amma is back with us and finished her travel quarantine period. Her return is a huge relief to both of us. Things always get interesting in the kitchen when she is here, and this time more so, since both of us are home all day! Her repertoire is mostly South Indian cooking with some North Indian dishes thrown in for variety. I try to mix it up and she tolerates it like a good sport.
I cannot say this vegetarian quesadilla with guacamole was necessarily one of her favorites but V and I really enjoyed it. This is a simple, easy to make recipe which comes together in no time with whatever veggies you have on hand. You can have it as a snack or even a full meal. I used onions, greens and red bell pepper. Feel free to use a combination shredded cabbage, mushrooms, corn, zucchini, squash, sweet potato and even black or pinto beans. Here is the basic recipe.
Recipe for Vegetarian Quesadilla with Traditional Guacamole
1 jalapeno or other spicy green pepper, minced fine (leave it out if you don’t like it spicy)
1 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
salt to taste
Ingredients for the quesadilla:
8 medium tortillas of your choice (I used corn/wheat)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups of arugula (or any other greens of your choice)
1 medium onion sliced thin
1 medium red bell pepper sliced thin
1 cup of grated cheese (Monterey jack works well or any other hard flavorful cheese which melts)
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
To make the guacamole:
Peel and scoop avocado in to a bowl
Add all the other ingredients and roughly mash together
To make the quesadilla:
Make the filling: In a pan, heat the oil and saute the onions, bell pepper for a few minutes. Add salt to taste. Add the greens, mix and allow it to wilt. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet (cast iron preferably)
Place the tortilla on the hot skillet and cook until a little browned on both sides, flipping for around 2-3 mins
Lower the heat and sprinkle one half of the quesadilla with cheese until well covered. You might use about a tablespoon for a large tortilla. I went lighter with cheese.
Top with the vegetable filling using 2-3 tablespoons
Sprinkle with more cheese
With a spatula, folder the tortilla over to cover the filling and press down
Increase the heat if needed and allow the cheese to melt and the quesadilla to brown a bit (a minute or so)
Flip carefully to brown the top side as well (a minute or so)
Remove and set aside and repeat with the next one
Serve the tortillas hot with guacamole or a salsa of your choice if you prefer.
Hope you enjoy this simple quesadilla. V and I are trying to remind ourselves every day to find joy in the simple things in life and appreciate every small blessing. Stay safe and stay sane everyone!
Not a day goes by when we are not thankful for our health and our jobs and even simple things we take for granted like the roof over our heads so that we can stay safe indoors. Our only worry at this time is not having my mom with us and not being entirely sure when she can travel to be with us. Still, there are people in more difficult situations for sure, and we are grateful we are each safe where we are.
These are indeed strange, unprecedented times that requires all of us to change our perspective and our expectations and be really creative. Who would have even though that we would be cut off from our fellow human beings, our day to day personal and professional interactions? Isn’t this the way humankind has lived since the beginning of society? Bartering our individual trades or goods for what we need in return. And now, we have to give our own haircuts?
How do we celebrate special occasions? We are so accustomed to dressing up and going out to a nice place for dinner, aren’t we?
V has always wanted to go to vegetarian taco bars in Los Angeles and even though we were there last year around the same time, we never got around to doing it. So, even though I wouldn’t dare try giving him a haircut, I am pretty sure I could attempt to recreate the taco bar experience at home for him!
The idea for the vegetarian tacos came from A Couple Cooks blog though I freely modified it for our tastes. So here goes the process of setting up a vegetarian taco bar on your dinner table at home!
Below you will find:
The composition of the two tacos (although feel free to play fast and loose with this)
The process and the prep work
The individual recipes
And the shopping list at the very end (since one cannot dash off to the grocery store at the last minute any more)
Serves 4 people with 2-3 tacos each with other sides for dinner. (I served this with a side of peas and potatoes samosas and peanut chaat.)
Vegetarian Taco 1: Roasted Cauliflower (recipe below) Refried Black Beans (recipe below) Red Cabbage slaw – Slice red cabbage in to thin ribbons and marinate in lemon juice and a pinch of salt for at least an hour Chipotle Sauce (recipe below) Toppings: Picked vegetables (recipe below), marinated red onions in lemon juice and a pinch of salt and sugar, sliced avocado, sour cream (omit for vegan version), finely chopped cilantro
Vegetarian Taco 2: Spiced Quinoa (recipe below) Red bell pepper slaw – Slice 1 red bell pepper in to thin strips and marinate in lemon juice and a pinch of salt for at least an hour Romesco sauce (recipe below) Same toppings as above
The Process: Most everything can be made ahead before the day of the dinner, but you must start the pickled vegetables at least 3 days before – otherwise they will be raw.
Make all the pickled vegetables at least 3 days before – jalapenos, radish, carrots are standard
Make the sauces a few days ahead (recipes below)
Make the refried black beans and spiced quinoa a day or more ahead (recipes below)
Chop the cauliflower, red cabbage and red bell pepper a day or two ahead and save in the refrigerator
Roast the cauliflower before dinner (recipe below)
Marinate the red cabbage and red bell pepper in lemon juice and a pinch of salt an hour before the dinner. Marinate the red onions also at the same time in lemon juice and a pinch of salt and sugar.
Slice the avocado close to dinner time to keep it firm and fresh.
The Tacos and the Assembly: I counted for about 2-3 tacos per person. So for 4 people prepare about 12 tacos. If you have a gas burner, then use a pair of tongs and flip the tacos on a medium flame until the edges are slightly charred. This gives a great flavor to the tacos. Set the table with all the ingredients and set out the cards with the taco composition. Let everyone have fun making their own tacos if they want.
The Recipes:
Recipe for Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients:
1 medium cauliflower cut into large florets
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
2 cloves garlic minced fine
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 400F
Toss cauliflower with rest of the ingredients
Bake for 20 mins or until cauliflower has browned a bit
Recipe for Refried Black Beans
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
1 medium yellow onion chopped fine
2-3 cloves garlic minced fine
2 cans of black beans – washed and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Lime/lemon juice and cilantro for garnish
Extra hot water before serving if needed
Method:
Heat the oil in a pan
Add the onion and cook until soft and browned, around 5 mins
Add the minced garlic and saute for a couple of mins
Add the black beans and salt and pepper to taste
Heat through and then roughly mash the black beans with the back of a ladle and keep heating
Before serving, add lime/lemon juice to taste and garnish with cilantro. If it has become too thick, then add some hot water and mix again.
Recipe for Spiced Quinoa
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth or plain water
2 Tbsp Extra-virgin Olive Oil or avocado oil
2-3 cloves garlic minced fine
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp each of cumin powder and paprika
Salt to taste
Method:
Dry roast the quinoa in a pan until it is fragrant and starts to brown – about 5 minutes or less. Rinse in a fine mesh strainer under running water and set aside to drain
Bring the vegetable broth or water to a boil and add the drained quinoa
Bring to a boil again. Then turn the heat all the way down, cover with a lid and let it cook for 12-15 minutes until all the water is absorbed
Close with a lid for another 5 minutes. Then fluff the quinoa with a fork.
Heat the oil in a pan
Add the garlic and saute for a minute. Then add the oregano and saute for a minute until fragrant
Now add the cooked quinoa, cumin powder, paprika and salt
Saute on medium heat until the quinoa is heated through and no water is left
Recipe for Chipotle Sauce
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp Tahini
2 Tbsp any hot sauce
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/8th tsp salt
1 tsp adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
Method:
Whisk together all ingredients until well combined. Adjust salt if needed.
Recipe for Romesco Sauce
Ingredients:
1 medium red bell pepper
1 medium tomato
4-5 cloves garlic
1/4th cup almonds
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Lemon juice to taste
Salt to taste
Method:
First roast the bell pepper, tomatoes and garlic:
Preheat oven to 400F
Wrap the garlic cloves tightly in a aluminum foil pocket
Brush the bell pepper and tomato with a little olive oil
Place the garlic, bell pepper and tomato on a cookie sheet
Set the cook time for 20 minutes and set another timer for 10 minutes
Remove the tomato and garlic after 10 minutes and set aside to cool
Remove the bell pepper after 20 minutes, put it in a paper bag and seal or put it in a container and close with a lid to steam
When it is cool (30 mins or so), the peel will come off easily
Peel the bell pepper and tomato
In a food processor, process the roasted bell pepper, tomato and garlic with the remaining ingredients until smooth and creamy
Recipe for Pickled Vegetables
Ingredients:
2 medium carrots (around 0.5 lbs)
1 medium daikon radish (around 0.5 lbs)
around 10 medium jalapenos
2 cups water (slightly warm to dissolve the salt and sugar)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1.5 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp salt
Method:
Slice the carrots, radish and jalapenos in to thin rounds
Mix the water, vinegar, sugar and salt and pour over the vegetables
Close tightly with a lid and refrigerate for at least 3 days
Enjoy your tacos and have fun with it!!
Here’s your shopping list for the taco bar dinner:
2 packs of your favorite tortillas
Vegetables: 1 medium cauliflower, 2 large red bell pepper, 1 large tomato, 1 head of red cabbage, 2 medium carrots, 1 medium daikon radish, 10 jalapenos, 2 large avocado, 1 bunch cilantro
Staples: yellow onion, red onion, garlic, cilantro, 2 large lemons for juice
Pantry staples: Olive oil or Avocado oil, salt, black pepper
