Braided Bean Taco

Braided Bean Taco step by step instructions:

Taco is a traditional Mexican dish. It is made up of corn tortillas (we can otherwise use any other flour for making tortillas), and the filling can be anything from beans to salads and if you are a non-vegetarian then meat etc. The tacos can be either soft or hard.
My mother has been making tacos for many years and she used to make the shape of the taco shell just like a bowl and not the traditional boat style shell. And recently the bowl style has been replaced by flat shape, which I feel is very convenient to eat.
Today I will be showing you how to make tortillas, cook it, and the stuffing for the taco. The only change brought here is the shape of the shell. Instead of making a boat shape I will be making a braided taco. We will make a hard taco today!

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:

For the stuffing
Red kidney beans (Rajma): ½ cup (100 gms, washed and soaked in water for 6-7 hours)
Tomato: 1
Onion: 1
Ginger: a small piece
Garlic: 1-2 cloves
Ghee: 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
Coriander powder: 2 tsp
Red chili powder: 1 ½ tsp
Tomato ketchup: 1 tbsp
Salt as per taste

For the tortilla
Maize flour (makkai atta): ¼ cup
Wheat flour (gehun atta): ¼ cup
Taco seasoning: 1 tbsp
Salt as per taste
Water: ½ cup less 2 tbsp (lukewarm) or as required

For the salsa
Tomatoes: 2 (200 gms, seeds removed, roughly chopped)
Onion: 1 (50 gms, roughly chopped)
Green Capsicum: a small piece (40 gms, roughly chopped)
Red Capsicum: a small piece (40 gms, roughly chopped)
Yellow Capsicum: a small piece (40 gms, roughly chopped)
Vinegar: ½ tbsp.
Garlic: 1-2 pods
Ginger: a small piece
Coriander leaves: Fistful
Green chili: 1 (big size)
Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
Sugar: 1 tbsp (optional)
Salt as per taste

For the hung curd dip
Hung curd: ¾ cup (100 gms)
Almond: 7-8 (crushed)
Walnut: 3-4 (crushed)
Salt as per taste
Black pepper as per taste

For garnishing
Cabbage thinly sliced (as required)
Tomato thinly sliced (as required)
Onion thinly sliced (as required)

Method:
For the Tortilla
1. Mix together maize flour, wheat flour, taco seasoning, and salt. Add water and knead into smooth dough. Keep aside covered for half an hour.

2. Divide the dough into 8 equal balls.

3. Roll out thin rotis with the help of dry wheat flour.

4. Preheat the convection mode of microwave on 200 degree Celsius.
5. Make 4-5 rolls from aluminum foil as shown in the image.

6. Place the aluminum roll in the center of the thin roti.

7. Leaving the center make cut marks on both the sides as shown in the image.

8. Now starting from the corner, take one strip from one side and keep it on the foil. Then take a new strip from the other side. Similarly, complete the entire braid, putting an alternate strip on the foil.
9. Similarly, make braids from the remaining rotis.

10. Keep the braided shell inside the microwave and cook in convection mode for 6-7 minutes on 220 degree Celsius or until the shells have become crisp.
11. Take out the shells from the microwave and let them cool. Carefully pull the foil from the center of the shells.

12. The braided taco shells are ready.

For the Stuffing
1. Pressure cook the rajma with ¾ cup water, salt, and red chili powder.

2. Grind onion, garlic, and ginger to a smooth paste.
3. Heat ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds. Let them fry for a few seconds.
4. Add the onion paste and fry until all the water has evaporated and the raw smell has gone.

5. Add turmeric powder and coriander powder. Mix well.

6. Grind tomato and add to the pan. Cook until the ghee starts to separate from the tomato.

7. Now add the rajma.

8. Cook covered, for 10-15 minutes or until the gravy has thickened and the rajma has absorbed the flavors, stirring occasionally.
9. Add tomato ketchup and mix well.

10. Take out in a bowl.

For the Salsa
1. In a grinder take tomatoes, onions, all color capsicums, garlic, ginger, green chili, coriander leaves, sugar, salt, and vinegar. Roughly grind and take out in a bowl. Add lemon juice and mix well.

2. Keep it refrigerated before using.

For the Hung Curd Dip
1. In a bowl mix together hung curd, almond, walnut, salt, and black pepper.

2. Keep it refrigerated until use.

For the Braided Taco
1. Take one braided shell and fill the bean stuffing inside it carefully with the help of a spoon.

2. Similarly, fill all other shells.

3. Keep the filled shells on the serving plate.

4. Garnish with cabbage, tomato, onion, hung curd dip, and salsa.

5. Serve immediately with salsa and hung curd dip.

6. Delicious "Braided Bean Taco" is ready!

Tips:
1. The shape of the shells can be chosen as per your choice. Braided ones are a bit difficult to make but with few tries, you will be able to master it.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!