Rice & Beans:

Recipe by Cook's Hideout

This post has been due for quite sometime, I posted my pics for Cinco de Mayo feast on Cinco de Mayo day (1st of May). So better late than never, here are the recipes. I made these quesadillas with Trader Joes Corn-Chile Tomato-less Salsa and grated sharp & milk cheddar cheese. All I had to do is layer them on corn tortillas and they were just perfect, sweet & tangy from the salsa and oozing cheese. Yumm.

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice (– rinsed and soaked for at least 15 minutes)
• 1 cup black beans (– cooked)
• 1 cup chickpeas (– cooked)
• 2 zucchini (– medium, chopped)
• 1 carrot (– medium, chopped)
• 1 onion (– large, chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (– minced)
• 1 cup tomato (puree (I used canned crushed tomatoes with basil))
• 1 tbsp cumin (powder)
• 2 tsps chili powder ((or to taste))
• 2 tbsps lemon juice ((optional))
• 2 onions (– for garnish)
• 1 avocado (– small, pitted and flesh roughly chopped)
• 1 tomato (– small, deseeded and roughly chopped)
• 2 tbsps red onion (– finely chopped)
• 1 jalapeno (– small, deseeded and finely chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (– finely minced (use garlic press, if you have one))
• 1 tbsp lime juice ((or to taste))
• to taste Salt Pepper (&)

Method

1. Cook basmati rice and keep aside to cool.
2. In a large skillet, heat 2tbsp oil on medium-low flame. Add onions and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent.
3. Add zucchini & carrots; cover and cook till the veggies are ¾th cooked.
4. Add the beans; cover and cook till the veggies and beans are completely cooked through. Add tomato puree, cumin powder, chili powder & salt. Simmer for 6-8 minutes.
5. Add the cooked rice, mix well making sure that the rice does not get mushy. Add lemon juice (if using) and mix well. Garnish with green onions; serve with guacamole, salsa (or guaca-salsa) and sour cream.
6. Mix all the ingredients in bowl and mash with the back of a spoon or a fork. Taste and adjust seasonings.

View the recipe instructions at Cook's Hideout