Crunchy Black Bean Taco Triangles

 

Great Lent is the time period we go full vegetarian or vegan.  Its hard to please the boys in my house, who always ask me 'Where is the protein?'.

I always cook a big batch of different kinds of beans and freeze them in single layers over baking trays and store them in the freezer.  They are the main source of protein during Lent in my household.  The cooked beans are so versatile and handy to prep a meal quickly.

Here I am making the Crunchy Black Bean Taco Triangles.  They are prefect for quick meal and a good option for lunch box.

The Cashew Cilantro Sauce I make for these crunchy triangles gives that velvety creaminess and richness to the taco triangles.  It is tangy and has the kick from Jalapenos, which elevates the earthy black bean flavors in this taco triangles.

The spicy and smoky  black bean filling with generous amount of Cilantro and aromatics checks the boxes for flavors and protein.  Baking helps to get a big batch done in one shot.  Alternatively you can cook them on a pan.

Yields - 16 Taco Triangles

Ingredients

Sauce

1/2 cup - raw cashews soaked in 1/2 cup hot water

1/4 cup - water

1 cup - fresh cilantro chopped 

1/2 -1 - jalapenos (adjust per heat level)

2 tsp - lemon juice

salt to taste 

Filling

2 cups - cooked black beans (refer notes)

1 - small onion chopped

4 - garlic chopped

1/2 -1 - jalapenos (adjust per heat level)

1 cup - cilantro

1/2 - red bell pepper chopped

1/4 cup - frozen sweet corn

1 tbsp - taco seasoning (homemade or store bought)

1 tbsp - chipotle chili powder

1 tsp - cumin powder

2 tbsp - salsa

salt to taste 

1 - 2 tbsp - avocado oil

8 - Soft tortillas

Glue to make the pockets

2 tbsp - all purpose flour

2 tbsp - water

Directions

Sauce

• Grind all the ingredients listed under sauce into a smooth thick sauce.

Filling

• Sauté garlic in the oil till light golden brown color and add the onions.  Cook till translucent.  Add the chopped pepper, jalapenos, corn and cook till they are soft.  Add the seasonings, salt and cook for a minute.  Now add the cooked black beans and mix well.  Finally garnish with chopped cilantro and turn off the flame.

Assembling

• Make a paste of the flour and water to make the glue for the triangles.
• Cut the tortillas into halves to get 16 pieces.
• Apply the flour paste on the edges of the halved tortilla.
• Add 2 tbsp of the filling and a tsp of the sauce.  Fold the corner to form a triangle and seal the edges. (Watch the Instagram reel for details)
• Pre heat oven to 400° F.  
• Apply oil on a baking tray and place the prepared taco triangles on the tray.
• Brush oil on top of each taco triangle and bake for 16 minutes, flipping half way to get both sides crispy.
• Enjoy them with rest of the Cashew Cilantro sauce.

Notes

• Back beans - if using canned black beans, wash and drain well.  You can alternatively cook on stove top in a pressure cooker.  Soak 1 1/4 cup black beans in water for overnight.  Wash and drain few times and discard the purple water.  Add the beans into a pressure cooker.  Add 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 tsp pf salt.  Pressure cook for 6 whistles. 
• Taco seasoning - 1 tsp each of garlic, onion, cumin, dried oregano, 1 tbsp each of chipotle pepper powder, cayenne pepper powder, paprika powder.
• You can store the taco triangles for 2 days in the fridge in a air tight container.
• You can reheat in the taco triangles in a air fryer at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.