Nachos (Mexican Dish)

Nachos is one of the most widely eaten dishes in my home. What is it? Some sort of salad, a snack or something in between? My zesty nachos are comprised of Indian flavored kidney beans (rajma), spicy salsa, lots of vegetables and cheese arranged atop corn chips. It bursts of flavors and textures! Garnish it with spring onions and jalapenos to add a colorful layer of appeal to this tasty snack. You may use a variety of vegetables based on your preferences. I used green pepper, red pepper, spring onions, jalapenos, tomatoes and coriander leaves. If you like, you may also use olives, lettuce etc. Enjoy with some football in the fall!

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes (15 minutes for beans and 10 minutes baking time)
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of tortilla chips, 14.5 oz.

For Beans:

• 1 can red kidney beans, 19 oz.
• 1-1/2 tablespoons oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small plum tomato, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• Salt, to taste

For Toppings:

• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 to 3 jalapeños, sliced
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 small green capsicum, chopped
• 1 red capsicum, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup spring onion, chopped
• 2 bags of mozzarella cheese (16 oz. each)

Directions:

1. To make the beans, heat oil on a pan and add the chopped onion. Sauté until medium brown. Then, add chopped garlic and jalapeño and sauté until it is tender. Lastly, add chopped tomatoes and when they are softened, add cumin powder, red chili powder and salt. Mix well.
2. Rinse and drain the kidney beans from the can (or rinse, soak and boil, if from a bag). Mix well and cook for another five minutes. Keep it aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
4. On a baking plate, arrange the tortilla chips/ corn chips. On the top of the chips, spread the cooked kidney beans first, then layered with half of the chopped veggies listed above. Put cheese on the top and then layer with other half veggies.
5. Put the chips with toppings inside the preheated oven and bake until cheese melts.
6. Serve hot with sides of Salsa, green hot Mexican (El Yucateco) sauce and fresh guacamole. (For Fresh Homemade Tomato Salsa check the recipe on my blog.)