Bean Tostadas

Tostada is a Mexican dish deep-fried in oil. It is actually tortilla in a fried type. In the Spanish language Tostada means 'toasted'.

Mexicans wanted to recycle old tortillas in some way rather than wasting it. They spread beans, cheese, meat, vegetables, etc. on crisply fried tortilla. This led to the recreation of a new dish. (as per wikipedia).

Nowadays, tostadas are served as appetizers or a breakfast dish with some meat strips and topped with choices of vegetables. This recipe is from my collection of Nita Mehta's recipe books.

Flour Tortillas
They are thin bread similar to chapathis made of plain flour (maida), or whole wheat flour , or corn meal. The difference lies in the filling, folding and cooking. Flour tortillas are used in preparing bean tostadas.

Ingredients:
Maida - 1 1/2 cups
Salt - 1/2 tsp.
Oil - 2 1/2 tbsp.
Warm water (to make the dough)

Method:
Mix flour, salt and oil together.
Add warm water and make a smooth and elastic dough.
Cover with a moist cloth and keep aside for half an hour.
Divide the dough into small balls.
Roll out each ball into a thin chapathi.
Cook the tortillas on one side for about a minute and then turn.
Reduce heat and cook the other side also for 15-20 secs till light brown specs appear.
Remove from heat.
Cook all the tortillas and keep them wrapped in a foil.

Refried beans
It means that beans cooked thoroughly are mashed to a paste.

Ingredients:
Red kidney beans (Rajma) - 1 cup
Small onions - 1/2 (chopped)
Garlic - 2 flakes (finely chopped)
Tomatoes - 1 (chopped)
Oil - 1 tbsp.
Small onion - 1 (chopped finely)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Soak the beans overnight or at least 6-8 hours.
Cook the beans in a pressure cooker with half-chopped onion, garlic and tomato.
With a potato masher, mash the cooked beans well (I ground them).
Keep mashed beans aside.
Heat the oil and add chopped onions and fry till they become soft.
Add mashed beans along with the water.
Add salt and red chilli powder.
Mix well.
Bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and cook covered for 5-10 minutes.
Now the thick bean paste is ready.

Sour cream
Ingredients:
Fresh cream - 1/4 cup
Thick curd - 1 1/2 cup
Lemon juice - 1 tsp.
Salt - 1/4 tsp.

Method:
Hang curd in a muslin cloth for an hour.
Whip the hung curd with a wire whisk till very smooth.
Gradually add just enough cream to get a soft-dropping consistency.
Add salt and lemon juice.
Mix lightly.
Keep in fridge till serving time.

Salad
Ingredients:
Onions - 2 (finely chopped)
Tomatoes - 2 (finely chopped and seeds scooped out)
Coriander leaves - 4 tbsp. (finely chopped)
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp.
Salt (to taste)
Red chilli powder - 2 pinches

Method:
Mix all the ingredients in a salad bowl.
Keep it in the refrigerator till serving time.

The Final Method:
Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan.
Fry the small tortillas one at a time on both sides till crisp.
Remove and drain on a paper napkin.
Do this for all tortillas.

The Assembling Part:
Spread each tostada with 1 1/2 tbsp. of refried beans, leaving the edges a little.
Sprinkle some salad and then top it with a big tablespoon of sour cream.

Sent off to Divya's JFI-Rajma event (JFI series originally started by Indira of Mahanandi).

Posted in: Mexican Cuisine, Snacks