STEEMIT CULINARY CHALLENGE #16 : "The Abominable Veggie Taco" - Original Recipe
For this week's tech-savvy judge @klye, I decided that despite his preference for meaty tacos he is probably in desperate need of some wholesome vegetable nutrition (yep, I saw the instant-noodle review... tut tut). Without a good balance of essential nutrients even the most tech-savvy could end up as slow and unintelligible as Windows ;-) So today I have prepared some extremely tasty and highly nutritious tacos using einkorn flour, and filled with fresh tangy guacamole, crunchy spicy lentils & hemp seeds, and sweet-chilli kidney beans. Both lentils and red kidney beans are wonderful for keeping the old brain functioning, as not only do they contain vitamins critical for cognitive function, they also improve blood flow and thus oxygen flow to all vital organs. And if that's not enough plant matter for you there's also some homemade coleslaw to accompany it.
The resulting flavours are sensational, no kidding, and even the most dedicated meat lover would surely relent! Not only flavours but textures too. With every bite you get the cool, smooth, tangy, garlicy/limey guacamole... the spicy, crunchy lentils with a slightly powdery coating from the spices, and brittle crunch of nutty hemp seeds... the soft, sweet, tomatoey, plummy and actually 'meaty' kidney beans that leave your throat tingling with chilli-warmth... all encased in a full-flavoured ever-so-slightly crunchy einkorn flour taco. I wouldn't say these would give you fire-ass as you say, but there's definitely some tongue burning going on, which is the limit of my liking for spiciness! Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, as I did :-)
What you will need:
For the tacos: (makes 4 large)
250g wholemeal einkorn flour
50ml coconut oil (melted)
1/4 tsp salt
150ml hot water
For the guacamole:
1 ripe avocado
1/2 lime
1/2 red onion
4 cloves garlic
6 slices courgette
1/4 green pepper
4 cherry tomatoes
1 tsp coriander leaf
Pinch salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
For the spicy lentils and sweet-chilli kidney beans:
100g red lentils
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
Handful hemp seeds
1 carton/tin red kidney beans
5 cherry tomatoes
1 plum
2 tsp tomato puree
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp honey
2 tblsp water
For the coleslaw:
1/4 savoy cabbage
1/4 red cabbage
1 large red onion
2 large carrots
6 tblsp homemade mayonnaise (see my previous post for recipe as I already had some made)
Method:
In a large bowl mix together the flour, melted coconut oil, salt and water. Knead into a smooth dough.
Divide the dough into 4, and roll into balls.
You can roll them out on a floured surface, but I find it easier to press them between sheets of baking parchment for ease of handling. Put each ball between two sheets of parchment and roll out using a rolling pin to about 6" in diameter.
Carefully place in a very lightly greased pan, and fry on moderate heat for a minute or two, then flip over using a spatula and fry on the other side. Set aside. (If I'm not using them straight away I usually put a sheet of parchment between each cooked taco to prevent them from sticking together or moisture forming between the warm layers).
Next I prepare the guacamole. It's best eaten after it's had a while to rest and the flavours have had chance to blend, so I make it then pop it in the refrigerator for about an hour prior to eating.
Cut the avocado in half and remove the seed. Scoop out the flesh and mash in a bowl using a fork. Dice the green pepper, courgette, red onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes and add to the bowl. Slice the lime in half and squeeze the juice from one half into the bowl. Mix everything together, along with a pinch of salt, black pepper and coriander leaf. Pop into the fridge.
Next I make the coleslaw, so finely slice the savoy and red cabbage, peel and grate the carrots, and dice the red onion. Put all into a large bowl and add the mayonnaise. Mix well and set aside.
Put the lentils into a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for ten minutes. Don't over-cook or they will turn mushy (this can happen quite quickly, so keep an eye on them!) Drain immediately once cooked.
Heat 1 tsp oil (coconut, olive or avocado) in a frying pan and add the lentils, cayenne pepper, cumin and paprika. Fry on moderate heat for several minutes until the lentils begin to get crunchy. Add the hemp seeds and continue to fry for a few more minutes (slightly cooking hemp seeds brings out the nutty flavour, but don't over-cook or they begin to lose nutrients). This mixture will be quite dry and very spicy.
Next we make the sweet-chilli kidney beans mixture. Peel the plum, remove the stone and finely dice. Dice the tomatoes. Put into a saucepan, along with water, tomato puree, rosemary, thyme, chilli flakes and honey. Cook on moderate heat until the plum and tomato begin to soften.
Drain and rinse thoroughly the carton/can of red kidney beans. Add to the plum/tomato mixture and continue to cook on low-moderate heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce is thick and the beans are piping hot.
Arrange the tacos:
First spoon in the guacamole, then a layer of spicy lentils, then the sweet chilli-kidney beans. Serve with coleslaw on the side, and extra slices of lime to squeeze over the tacos.
As usual, much gratitude to @englishtchrivy for hosting this challenge and giving us all a good reason to get creative!
Many thanks also to this week's judge @klye, and to the sponsors @smooth, @sirwinchester and @knozaki2015, and not forgetting everyone else involved in this challenge. Thank you all very much for giving this housewife/mama something exciting to get stuck into each week!!!
For more healthy vegetarian, sugar-free, additive-free recipes for meals and snacks, please follow me! Thank you!
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Thanks very much!
@woman-onthe-wing Congratulations!
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That's two in a row this time!
I'm chuffed to bits, I really am!!! And very surprised! Thank you so much :-)
Congratulations, especially on getting the judge to surprise himself with a veggie taco! That's a double win! : ) : )
Thanks so much @haphazard-hstead, it was a surprise to win after what he said in the criteria! It made me laugh though, and I really enjoyed the challenge of tempting a meat lover!!! Sitting the next one out, what about you?
The only way I can enter the next one, is if I can work it in on Tuesday, in time to meet the deadline. Realistically, it's not likely to happen this week. I do enjoy the Culinary Challenge, though. Entering or reading!
Very tasty, although I like the very flesh!
Thank you @homeartpictures... I've just seen yours too and it looks great! Good luck :-)
Good luck for you @woman-onthe-wing and of course all other participants of the SCC. You are a great team!
I think we all enjoy the fun of it more than the prizes!
So I see it as well. Community is everything
You are a true master of cooking. I admire your posts.
That's so sweet, thanks very much @shady!
@woman-onthe-wing the abominable taco huh?
hahahaha I like the guts of this entry :)
einkorn flour huh! I love that and spelt ... less gluten - gives you no belly
I wish you good luck that's all I could say ..this is the first entry cooked by one gutsy Momma :D - acknowledged!
Thanks @englishtchrivy, I couldn't do meat no matter what so this was the next best thing! I only just discovered einkorn.... oooh it's so delicious as well as all the other benefits! I was thinking of you actually, and was going to ask if you eat it as I know you don't react too well to gluten
@woman-onthe-wing yes and I'd rather have it in my taco than corn flour :D
I was guessing you'd do salmon but hey - the guest judge said - "you may"
I loled at the title hahaha
good luck!
I think I'm going off the idea of fish as well as meat!!! It's only a recent feeling since the last fish challenge actually, and I just keep thinking of the fish free and swimming along and suddenly it's gasping for air in the net... Oh dear!
He's clearly not into the idea of veggie tacos but hey, I try anyway!!!
@woman-onthe-wing with what's happening in the food industry I get you
anyway.. very sweet of you about the einkorn even the famous docs in America recommend them instead of frankenflour
better to do than never.. you'll never know :D
Yum!
Veggie tacos!
Upvoted
@shayne
Much appreciated @shayne!
Wow, this is an incredible recipe. I would like to eat one of that right now!
Thank you!!!
This is how you win a contest again! Skills, skills and more skills! you are good!
Aw that's very kind of you to say, thanks so much @the-future! I think @klye is likely to choose meat over veggies but you never know!
That will not be fair because is not about meat or veggies, it's more about the whole work and how it looks! This is just my opinion and I can say is not because I'm vegetarian. I also liked a lot of recipes that has meat.
Yes, you are right! I too vote on meat recipes that are done well :-)
Looks amazing
Thank you @happyhousewife!
Your so welcome. Good luck
You made a great pitch for your tacos and their ingredients! Good luck in the challenge!
Thanks @haphazard-hstead! Hope to see you entering again this time? I loved your last one!
Not this one. I like pretty much any food, but I'm not so much a taco fan. I like burritos, enchiladas, empanadas. They hold the food in, lol. I am too ham-fisted and uncoordinated to be anywhere near a taco shell, lol. When I eat a taco, it is such a mess! I lose half my food. I end up with taco shell and filling on the table, on the floor, my hands dripping with taco! I'm a taco disaster! 8O Just put the filling in a bowl and give me some chips on the side.
Ha ha, that's hilarious! If I were you I would have cheated and made the taco shell then cut it up into 'chips' to use to scoop up whatever tasty filling you could forage! After all, the rules never said the filling had to be in the taco!!! But that's just my cheeky rebel side :-)
You are the creative cook in the Culinary Challenge bunch, that's for sure! I push @englishtchrivy enough already, just getting my entries in at the last minute or using unacceptable ingredients, lol. I like the Culinary challenge! : )
Yeah I noticed that, hehe :-) I think she finds it endearing actually!!!
What a beautiful food post, just beautiful. Congrats on first place in the challenge. Sorry for the delay in commenting, I was traveling. Fortunately, I have you on a bot so I was able to upvote you. 389 votes, that is great!
Thanks so much Tori, it's lovely you thought to send me a comment all these days later! I really appreciate it :-)
I only just realised there's the option of bots to vote on our behalf if we want (am not so clued up on these things), but a good idea as there's quite a few like yourself who always post quality and so always deserve a vote!
Hope you had a pleasant time on your travels. I only recently read your intro post and found it very interesting I have to say! Milking goats, living like eskimos... very cool!