Fig and Dark Cocoa Chicken Taquitos or Flautas

There was enough Chicken in Dark Cocoa and Fig Sauce leftover that I was going to put it in a wrap or serve it like fajitas when I noticed a stack of corn tortillas and some wheat rotis waiting to be used up. Since I don't fry foods every day, I decided to indulge by making these deep fried taquitos from corn tortillas.

Simply add the filling to the tortilla, roll it up and pin it with a toothpick, and with tongs, carefully immerse in hot oil to deep fry. Alternately bake in a 425 °F oven and then place under the broiler briefly to crisp it.

Serve with home made tomatillo salsa verde.

Opo Squash, Tomatillo, White Bean, Mango Buttermilk Soup

This mildly spiced tangy soup is a summertime favorite. Tomatillos and raw green mango adds a gentle sourness that is enhanced by buttermilk. Opo squash brings a watery balance to the dish while the beans adds a bit of protein and texture.

We've had yo-yo-ing temperatures lately-- in the 80s one day and down to 50s the next. It seemed like a perfect meal for that warm day.

Ingredients
2 Tomatillos
1 medium green raw mango
1 cup cooked white beans
1 cup diced opo squash

spices to grind:
4 Tbsp grated coconut
1 teaspoon peppercorn
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tablespoon plain raw rice (acts as a thickener)

2 cups buttermilk
1 Tbsp coconut oil
salt to taste
½ tsp turmeric powder (optional)

Preparation

1. Grind the spices and keep handy
2. Heat oil in a pan, add the veggies and beans, some turmeric, salt, just enough water to cook the veggies; cover and simmer til veggies are cooked but not mushy
3. Add the ground spice paste, simmer for a few more minutes; stir in buttermilk, adjust salt to taste and turn off heat
4. Serve warm or cold

Chilaquiles with Salsa Verde

Cinco de Mayo fell on a weekend, giving a wonderful reason to enjoy Mexican food all weekend long.

We had a stack of corn tortillas a few months old that needed to be used up. So, I fried them up as chips which we enjoyed with Salsa Verde and Spicy Salsa Roja. Also made some Chili Rellenos with Anaheim peppers.

And the leftover chips and salsa verde became delicious chilaquiles for brunch the next day.

Salsa Roja
Blend some canned tomatoes, chipotle chilies in adobo suace, onions into a thick sauce; add chopped onions, tomatoes, and optionally corn kernels and cooked black beans; add lime juice and salt to taste. Garnish with cilantro.


Salsa Verde
Chop tomatillos, jalapeños, onions, and garlic cloves; sauté on a hot pan with a bit of oil till the tomatillos and onions char a bit; cool and blend to a coarse sauce. Simmer the sauce over medium heat, add salt to taste, water as needed and cook down a bit till flavors are strong.

Chilaquiles
In a large pan, simmer salsa verde as above, then add the fried corn tortillas and stir well; add some picked jalapeño rings, spring onions and cilantro as garnish and serve warm.