This is my sister's recipe. Yes my baby sister, who never stepped her foot in the kitchen when we were growing up. Being older, the cooking responsibility was on my shoulder when our mom was not well.
Then suddenly one day my sister woke up and I was gone to a faraway land, and now my sister had no choice but help my mom.
This is when she really learned to cook and then her skills really blossomed when she married a Guju doctor who loves to have three home cooked meals a day.
Now my hats off to you little sis..you have come a long way baby !! She makes the best meals. One of these days I am going to post her Dal Baati recipe.
So other day I invited myself to her house for dinner when she told me that she was making the veggie enchilada. They were delish !! I did not get a chance to take the pics there, but then I did make them, when my son got home.
Here is the recipe, but of course with slight variation, adapted recipe from my sister's original recipe ;)
Yield: 12 enchiladas
Ingredients of For the enchilada sauce:
(you can buy the ready made enchilada sauce from local grocer, but my dear sis, I made my own)
1 tsp. olive oil oil
1 onion ground in food processor
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small piece of ginger grated (optional)
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp. sugar
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
3/4 cup water
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon corn starch mixed with 1/4 cup of cold water
Method to To make the enchilada sauce:
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and cook until light brown.
Stir in the garlic, ginger, chili powder, cumin and sugar cook for few seconds.
Stir in the tomato sauce and water.
Bring to a simmer.
Add corn starch and water.
Cook until slightly thickened.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Set aside.
Ingredients For Mexican rice filling
2 cups precooked long grain rice (I admit I used left over cooked basmati rice)
1/2 cup of any of your favorite tomato salsa
Method to make rice filling:
Mix the salsa with cooked white rice and set aside.
Ingredients for beans filling:
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 can of fat free refried beans or cane of pinto beans
I also added some black beans to this but it is optional
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
2 teaspoon of taco seasoning
1/2 cup of pepper jack cheese
Method to make refried beans filling
Heat oil in a pan.
When oil is hot, add cumin seeds, when these crackle add the onions and garlic.
Saute until translucent.
Add taco seasoning mix well.
Add refried beans or mashed pinto beans and black beans
Mix well, turn the heat down and add cheese.
Mix well and turn the stove off.
Set aside.
Ingredients For Vegetable filling:
1 red pepper chopped
1 yellow bell pepper
1 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of yellow corn kernel or frozen corn thawed
1 small red onion finely chopped
1 8 oz pack of mushrooms
1 Jacama peeled and sliced in to thin strips
1 lime
1 tablespoon of chili garlic sauce for Jacama
1 cup fresh cilantro
2 cups enchilada sauce (above), divided
2 cup finely grated cheddar or Monetary jack cheese divided
1 bunch of green onion chopped and divided
Method to prepare veggie filling
Drain the corn and black beans from can set aside.
Finely chop all the veggies and set them aside.
Add garlic chili sauce, chopped cilantro and lime juice to Jacama strips and set aside.
Ingredients for enchilada and garnish:
12 (12 inch) corn tortillas
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Half head of lettuce finely chopped
1 cup of sour cream
1/4 cup or desired amount of Jalapeno peppers
Half of other green onions chopped
How to assemble enchilada:
Preheat the oven to 450˚ F.
Briefly microwave the tortillas in a paper towel until warm and pliable.
Place beans mixture on the tortilla, followed by some cheese, rice, corn and black beans, seasoned Jacama and all the chopped veggies.
Tightly roll up the tortilla and place in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Repeat filling the remaining tortillas.
Pour 1 cup of the sauce over the enchiladas, spreading it evenly.
Sprinkle the shredded cheddar and remaining green onions over the top of the sauce.
Cover with foil and bake for about 10 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue to bake until the for additional 5 minutes.
Place Jalapenos on the melted cheese if desired.
Serve hot with dob of sour cream on each enchilada, chopped lettuce and cilantro on top with side of rice and beans.
Hints:
Remember not to overload the cheese inside the tortilla and on top.
It is a long process, but if you get all the family members and kids involved in preparation and assembly, it is fun and deliciously healthy lunch or dinner.
You can add or delete any filling and topping.
You can use green sauce instead of enchilada sauce.
You may use queso cheese instead of cheddar and Monetary jack cheese.
Recipe slightly adapted by Surekha from her sister Heena's recipe.
Photographs by Surekha.