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.

Chipotle and Sun-dried Tomatoes New Mexican Flour Tortillas

I grew up with various quick (unleavened) griddle-cooked non-greasy flat breads like: roti, chapathi, paratha, some fried breads like puri and bathura, as well as fluffy risen naan. Some were made with whole wheat flour, some with an assortment of lentils and some even with chickpea flour. So, tortilla, when it came into my life, was not unusual at all, and was much welcomed.

Making tortillas was not so much different from making chapathis - in my mind - but, I've always shied away from the traditional tortilla recipes I found which called for a generous amount of shortening. My rotis and chapathis barely have a spoonful of ghee so they feel lighter and healthier somehow.

But, a request from the other adult in the house prompted me to make these New Mexican Flour Tortillas adapting a recipe I found in the Tuesday Nov 29th edition of The Oregonian, which in turn adapted a recipe from Saveur Cooks Authentic American.

We used these to make easy chicken wraps. I went rather squeeze-happy with the food color, but, between the chipotle and the sun-dried tomatoes, extra red coloring is not needed. I thought my kids might fancy this bright color for a change.

Ingredients
1¼ cup boiling hot water
4 cups all purpose flour
1¼ tsp salt
6 Tbsp vegetable shortening
4 to 6 Tbsp sun-dried tomato and chipotle chili paste
red food color (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine 4 Tbsp of Chipotle in Adobo sauce (more if preferred) with 4 Tbsp of Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, blend into a smooth thick paste
2. Combine the flour and salt and mix in the shortening, crumbling with fingers as it gets incorporated, to form a fine breadcrumb-like texture
3. Add in the sun-dried tomato and chipotle chili paste; add a few drops of food color (if using) to the hot water
4. Using a wooden spoon add one cup of the hot water first and stir well (as if to make play dough) till the dough comes together; add a bit more water as needed till the dough holds well and comes off the sides of the bowl
5. Turn the dough into a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes till smooth, cover with a plastic wrap and allow to sit for 30 mins
6. Divide the dough into 10 or 12 balls, roll out to about 3 millimeter thick rounds
7. Cook one at a time on a hot cast-iron skillet, both sides till done; the tortilla might puff up a little, which is a good sign
8. Wrap in a cotton towel as they come off the pan and serve warm with favorite sides, or as a wrap

Pimientos y Pollo con Tortilla

While Pimientos y Pollo con Tortilla is just a Spanish translation of the primary ingredients, it somehow sounds more exotic than Chicken and Bell Peppers with Tortilla :)

And, that's all this recipe is. Much like a wrap. We simply call it fajitas at home for convenience even if it is technically incorrect as it refers to a specific cut of beef that was originally used to create this dish.

Cooked on a cast iron skillet, with a couple of drops of Liquid Smoke (I use Wright's Hickory Seasoning) and spicy McCormick's™ Taco Seasoning, these bell peppers and chicken and onions make a wonderful filling to wrap in a tortilla and enjoy.

I like to start the chicken and onions first on the skillet and add the bell peppers when chicken is nearly cooked so they can all finish together. While corn tortillas are traditional, I like the high-fiber (low-carb) wheat tortillas for the wraps.

We've been enjoying more of the usual soups with home-made dampers and breads, South Indian rasam with Poduthuvals and home-made pizzas for the last few weeks - just quick meals - nothing elaborate, nothing new and exciting to share here...