Chimichanga…..

Over the weekend I will usually make a list of ‘things to make’ for the following week and then accordingly shop for the groceries and veggies over the weekend. This way I found out that I saved a lot on the grocery bill and it also resulted in less wastage of food stuff. So far I have worked according to the list more or less except for one of those days when I get late from work and then in no mood to cook anything. Thats when I dig in for a pizza hut number!!!! ;)

And when that happens, the menu/dish listed on that day goes in for a toss!!!!! I will sometimes completely forget that I had bought something to make a particular dish and ‘that something’ is nicely sitting in some corner of the fridge waiting for its turn to come.

The same happened with my poor tortillas :( . I got them over the weekend thinking that I will make something over the week. And that day happened to be one of those days when I came home late from work…….. So what happened on that day????….. Correct- pizza hut !!!!! :)

After a few days when I was digging in my fridge for something I saw the poor tortillas looking expectantly at me!!!! “Is it our turn today???” YES!!!!! So out I got them and started one my tours to Mexico…!!! :D

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For those of you who want to make tortillas at home:

  • 1:1 wheat flour + plain flour
  • Oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Spinach/Tomato puree (Depending on what flavour/colour you want…. Plain is also okay)

Make a soft dough and roll out thin chapati’s. Cook for two mins each over a flat pan - just till you see blisters coming up on both the sides. Do not brown them. Thats home made Tortillas for you. :)

Apart from the tortillas, you will need:

  • red bean/rajma paste
  • salad
  • cheese (optional)

They are great on their own also, but you could have Guacomole, sour cream or salsa sauce as an accompaniment. If you are anything like me who likes to have a mix of all the tastes, try with all three of them :) .

To make the red bean paste:

Soak the red beans over night and then cook them over two whistles in a pressure cooker with a pinch of salt) . For the short cut, use canned red beans. (Thats what I used)

Heat the oil in a pan and one chopped red/green chilli, add ginger garlic paste and chopped onions. Cook till the onions are translucent. Now add one chopped tomato and cooked red beans. Add salt to taste. (Be careful since the rajma already has some salt) Cook till the tomatoes soften and then let it cool. Make a paste of this mixture. (Do not add water while making the paste. Ideally tomatoes should do the job, but if your mixie does not move then just add about 1-2 spoons)

I will sometimes make this paste and keep in the fridge beforehand so that all I have to do is just assemble it all together and cook . :)

For the salad:

Finely chop/shredd cabbage, carrot, beet root and bell peppers.

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Bringing it all together:

Spread a small portion of the red bean paste in a rectangle over the tortilla.

And top it with salad and grated cheddar cheese. Make sure you don’t over fill since you dont want them to open up while you are cooking it.

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Now fold as shown. They will seal on its own when cooked so do not worry about it opening up and the filling falling off.

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Now quickly pick this up, turn it up side down and place it gently over the hot tava. (folded side facing down)

Cook on both sides with little oil till they are golden brown.

Serve them with any or all of the accompaniments. :)

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To make sour cream at home:

Churn a cup of paneer with about 3-4 tsp of curd/yogurt.

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Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

And you will have home made sour cream with you :)
For guacomole I used this recipe and salsa sauce was store bought.

I hope you enjoyed this small little trip to Mexico. :)

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Thank you, for the lovely response to MBP - Finger Foods and Starters !!! Send in your entries by the 20th and I will do the final round up in the next few days. :) Happy Patrolling!!!!! :)

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February 10, 2007 | Filed Under Red Beans/ Rajma 

Comments

23 Responses to “Chimichanga…..”

  1. asha on February 11th, 2007

    HEY!! My kinda food.Great looking Burritos err..Chimichangas!Grilled or pan fried are healthier then deep fried Chimis.Looks yummy!
    I have already cooked for your finger foods and ready to go after Pooja’s V’day!Enjoy the Chimis.

    Thanks Asha. :) Tell me one thing…. how come you are one of the first ones to coment on all the blogs!!!!! Do you have like blog pages open 24/7 and they auto refresh every 2 mins and a bell rings everytime there is an updated blog???!!!!!! Just curious ;)
    I will wait for your entry. :)

  2. Trupti on February 11th, 2007

    Oh yeah…bring it on….I am always up for Mexican food,any day, anytime!! Loved your version!!! and the recipe to make sour cream at home is new to me..thanks!

    Its really simple to make sour cream!!!!! Glad you liked them. :)

  3. maheswari on February 11th, 2007

    A delicious trip to mexico..that’s what i felt when saw all the pic.s..i saw those spinach tortillas on last trip to fresh market.Again never tried any mex.food at home other than mexican rice &salsa.Decided will def.ly try this one out.I like the idea of planning ahead for the week..may be i shud follow that also..my poor veg.s gimme a pathetic look when i throw them out..:(((.So anything special for V-day ?.

    Its a good idea to plan ahead M. I can see that I save a lot of time also. Otherwise I spend more time in thinking what to make, than making something!!!!!
    Let me know how you like them. :)

  4. Dilip on February 11th, 2007

    ohhh my….how very creative….great idea….i am so glad you decided to use the tortillas…poor things…not easy sitting in the fridge all day waiting for your turn you know…~grin~…thanks for the prompt…not had a mexican in awhile…~grin~….take care dear ben…

    Mexican food is just great!!!!!!! I can’t stay without it for more than a month!!!! :) Glad you liked them. :)

  5. archana on February 11th, 2007

    This dish is a meal. I never had Mexican food.Thanx for sharing the recipe of sour cream, becoz we don’t get it in the stores here, nor do we get tortillas so easily.The spinach tortilla looks similar to ’spinach roti’. Can we make it at home? I will surely try this.

    It certainly is a meal!!!!! And a delicious meal. :) I have updated the tortilla recipe for you in the post. :)

  6. Jyothsna on February 11th, 2007

    Hey Coffee! Thats a lovely easy-to-make recipe. :) Thanks esp for sharing the tortillas recipe, I haven’t seen tortillas in this part of the world. Sour cream at home? Wow, I didn’t know it could be home made.:)

    Jyothsna….. I have seen them in Dubai… so I think Sharjah shouldn’t be a problem…Any of the big supermarkets should be having them…. Check ou tthe bread section……I know carrefore in Dubai has them, do you have carrefore in Sharjah????…. But if you can make them at home, nothing like it!!!!! I just find it too time consuming, and I can brag about how lazy I am when it comes to rolling!!!!!! So I always take the shortcut ;)

  7. archana on February 11th, 2007

    Wow thanks, Coffee.
    Luckily I have all the ingredients required. No worries now , for ‘what to cook for dinner tonight’ :))…… :)).
    By the way I liked your idea for weekly menu planning:)

    Great!!!!! Let me know how you liked it!!!! :)

  8. kutus on February 11th, 2007

    Thanks coffee for the sour cream shortcut. That’s a real helpful tip.

    My pleasure dear. :)

  9. usha on February 11th, 2007

    Hi Coffee,

    Receipe looks awesome,i like the greenish colour with white cream on it…Oh!!!feel like tasting it….

    Recently i even tried bean burrito,let me pos tmy version too.

    Thanks for sharing…

    Great!!!! Looking forward to it. :)

  10. sia on February 12th, 2007

    wow wow and WOW…. thats some visual treat girl… homemade sour cream (whistle….)… guess its high time i try something else than my fav fajitas:)

    (whistle) let me know how you liek them ;)

  11. sandeepa on February 12th, 2007

    Loved the pics Coffee and Sour Cream at home is a great idea too

    Thanks dear. :)

  12. outofthegarden on February 12th, 2007

    Hi Coffee — wow! doesn’t everything look delicious!! Love the green color of tortillas with red and white toppings. And the guac… my favorite… YUMMMM!! So now I’ve learned to make homemade paneer, and homemade yogurt. You mean to say now I can mix ‘em up and have homemade sour cream too!? :):) Thanks for a great post!

    PS I now have three dishes for your finger foods. I had to stop before I gained 10 lbs in a day ;)
    Hahaha…. never mind!!!! Next month I will post a diet theme ;)
    Yes!!!!!! With paneer and yogurt, sour cream mis a breeze!!!!!! Glad you liked them. :)

  13. Mishmash ! on February 12th, 2007

    Chimichangas, very cute name isn’t it? :) Your step by step presentation helped a lot. Should check for this spinach tortilla next time when i go for grocery shopping. Its the colour that attracts me more.Never knew that paneer could be turned into sour cream!!!

    Glad you liked them dear. :) Do let me know if you make them. :) You should also get tomato flavour tortillas. :)

  14. archana on February 12th, 2007

    Hi Coffee, Made the chimichangas for lunch today :)They were very tasty and filling too.Tell me ,how is the exact taste supposed to be on the milder side or spicy, becoz I have never tasted it before. Mine were tasting slightly mild.
    I saw avocado for the first time today.I thought it must be as big as a mango, but it was rather big!!! and very expensive too (100 Rs /kg). So we had it minus guocamole he..he.. How does it taste khatta? Look wise my chimichangas looked like the ones you have made , exact copy.
    Thanx for sharing and explaining the recipe so well.

    WAH!!!! That was quick. :)
    I would prefer a bit on the spicier side and most of the mex food is on the spicier side. :) But you can have it as per your preferrence. :) Avocados are slightly on the exp side. :) I don’t know which variety you get over there. Over here they are as big as a mango. And cost about 1$ each (Rs 30) when in season or 2$ each (Rs 60) when not in season. Some variety are a mild sweet ones, some may be a bit bland. But its very rich in texture. Something like cream!!!! A very creamy cream !!!! :)
    Glad you liked them and appreciate you letting me know about it. :)

  15. Manasi on February 13th, 2007

    Oooooh! Love this! I have lately become a fan of Mex food… have made few items so far, but this , I shall try very soon! Thanx :D As usual ur post is delighfully well explained!

    Thanks Manasi. :) Glad you liked them. :)

  16. seema on February 13th, 2007

    Coffee,
    Look at them!!!! They look wonderful gal. ummmmmm I would love it with guacamole… o no with salad …oh no just like the way you did — with all of them.
    Yummy yummy
    Thanx

    Hehehe its yummmier (is there any word like that!!! ) with all!!!!! :)

  17. NZ on February 13th, 2007

    hey Coffee - I discovered ur this blog only a couple of days ago ! and I tried the ‘aloo paratha in jiffy’ recipies from ur archives and it was a hit with the kids.
    I love mexican too, the chimichangas look yummy and easy to make, but what i loved the most was the recipe for making sour cream at home. I could never enjoy it since the readymade ones that are availble in market have animal fat ( gelatine ) in it and us being vegetarians and all….
    So thanks again, girl :-)
    Your welcome dear. :) Glad you liked the aloo Parathas. :) Appreciate your letting me know about it. :) Hope you try these as well. :)

  18. swapna on February 13th, 2007

    hi coffee
    what a tasty mexican trip..mmmmm!!!!!
    liked ur plan for weekend grossary shopping..will follow urs this time..:-D

    YUP!!!!! Its save a lot of time and money believe me!!!! :)
    Glad you liked it. :)

  19. mommyof2 on February 13th, 2007

    I saw ur post the other day but finally get to read it noe:-) I love homemade sourcream recipe:-) Actually I was looking for few(new) things that i could cook for my bhua when I go to india and this will be one of them since sour cream is there now:-)

    We love maxican food and frozen chimichangas are always in my freezer:-) try to crisp the same tortilla cut in triangles in the oven and you will have homemade chips & they go with ur filling as an appitizer:-)

    Great!!!! Thats a nice variation!!!! I must also try that way!!! Glad you liked it. :) And I hope you bhua also does. :)

  20. luv2eathate2cook on February 13th, 2007

    Hi Coffee, Even I like spicy. I have few extra tortillas and filling left. To make it more spicy I will spice up the salsa :)Ur recipe for Tortillas is very nice. I could roll them thin. :)
    You can even spice up the red bean paste :)

  21. nandita on February 13th, 2007

    Nice post Coffee…shall try out these soon! Recently got a mexican red sauce and the harissa, they’ll blend perfect with your recipe. I made a red bean dip recently to go with some pita bread. Will be posting that soon - its a nigella inspired recipe

    They were great Nandita!!!! For some reason I cannot comment on your blog :( Have mailed you regarding it. :)

  22. Lera on February 14th, 2007

    Coffee, Lovely snacking for the weekend menu ,It’s a lovely mexican Treat with such an appealing filling! I’m all for it, would love to make a trip to mexico for sure ,if they do serve something as delicious as yours.Have agreat day :)
    I am sure they will Lera. ;) Glad you liked it. :)

  23. Swiss rosti « My Khazana of Recipes on March 16th, 2007

    […] with Sour cream, tomato ketchup and mustard sauce. If you are anyhting like me who likes to mix all the flavours […]

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