Bean Casserole

A recipe from my friend Swapna. Thanks for contributing to this blog.

Ingredients
    •    1 cup  chopped onion (1 large)

    •    3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper (1 medium) 

    •    1 small can diced tomatoes and green peppers, 

    •    Jalapeno peppers 2
    •    Onion flex ( you can omit these.  I do not like its taste)
    •    Garlic powder or Papa John's Garlic Pizza spice
    •    Red chili flex (again I used leftover from Papa John's  pizza ;)

    •    2 Teaspoons ground cumin (if you want to make it more spicy. Adjust the amount as per your need)

    •    2 cloves  garlic, minced 

    •    1 Can black beans or red kidney beans soaked over night and drained now.
    •    Soy chunks or soy balls (if you are meat person, put ground chicken )

    •    5 Roties/ Pita bread/ Naan or if you want to go fancy get store bought corn or flour tortilla. I used leftover Pita bread from my day before's Mediterranean dinner.

    •    8 ounces  reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups) 

    •    1 medium Tomato, chopped

    •    2 cups shredded Lettuce


    •    1/2 cup  plain low-fat yogurt (make sure yogurt is not watery but tough like sour cream) 


Directions
1. Take 10-15 soy balls in a bowl, pour water till 3/4 level and boil in microwave for 5 mins. After they soften, squeeze out all the water from them. Chop them fine like onion. You can put them in food processor to make course pieces.

2. In a large skillet combine onion, green pepper, undrained tomatoes, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and garlic and soy pieces. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in beans.

3. Spread one-third of the bean mixture over the bottom of  bowl(You can use fancy baking dish too ). Cover with Pita bread/ Tortillas/ Rotis, cover it up with 1 cup of the cheese. Add another one-third of the bean mixture; again cover with Tortillas and remaining bean mixture.

4. Bake, covered, in a 350 degrees F oven for 35 minutes. Keep checking in between. Sprinkle with another layer of cheese. Let stand 10 minutes.

5. Cut it like a cake and serve with cake knife (again save it from last birthday cake;)
Sprinkle some chili flex if you are one of those who do not feel full until your tongue is burnt.
Top with chopped shredded lettuce, cilantro and serve with yogurt dollop.

Serves
Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Tip: Serve with Grilled Jalapeno peppers on side.

I am thinking of making it more desi next time. I would recommend adding hot sauce to the bean mixture. If you have some Tomato salsa at home which is waiting to be finished , that can be added to bean mixture. Also some salt to bean mixture would  not hurt. Before you add salt to bean mixture, find out how salty is your cheese.
Also instead of buying canned black beans, you can soak some red kidney beans at home and use them instead of canned black beans.

Enjoy...

Carrot-Beans Curry

Ingredients
Carrot 2 Nos
Beans 1/4 Kg / 15-20 Nos
Grated Coconut (Optional)
Dhaniya powder
Chilli Powder
Few Curry leaves
Coriender leaves
Salt to taste
Oil 1 Tbsp
Water 1 Cup

Popu Ingredients

1/4 Tbsp Mustard

1/4 Tbsp Jeera

1/2 Tbsp Urad Dal

1/2 Tbsp Channa Dal (Senaga Pappu)

Preparation Method

Step 1: Peel carror skin, wash cut in the small cubes as shown below. Wash and cut beans also in to small pieces.

Step 2: Add 1 cup water in a container with the little salt, cut carrot and beans, place the container on stove wit lid closed. Let it boil for 5 min. Filter out the water once carrot and beans are boiled.

Step 3: Place a container on stove add oil, once hot add the popu ingredients. Allow it to splutter. Add Curry leaves. Add the boiled carrot and beans. Add salt mix and let it fry for 5 min with lid closed.

Step 4:  Add chilli powder, dhania powder and grated coconut, mix well and let it fry for 2 mins. Once ready add coriender leaves and serve hot with rice or roti.