It wasn’t until I was 17 and moved out on my own to explore the world (actually I moved to share an apartment with someone from work and walked back and forth to my full time job every day) that I found there was much more to food than the repetitive meals one usually grows up with. There was an array of Italian cuisine, Indian cuisine, Lebanese, Asian, Cantonese, English, German…the list goes on and on. This is very likely what fueled my passion for creating in the culinary field. Fusion and contrast are a huge part of my life and it shows in everything I do and I hope these crazy Samosa Tacos will offer you a taste of what I mean.
The Aioli:
1 c cilantro
1 c real mayonnaise
1 tsp lime juice
Your Beans:
Easy method
(2-16 oz cans refried beans, cooked)
My Method
2 c dried pinto beans
1/4 c lard
salt to taste
The Chutney:
2 c peach puree
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp clove
1 tsp ground ginger
2/3 c water
1/2 c rice wine vinegar
The Samosa Carne:
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 lb ground beef 80/20
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tbs chili powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste
16 corn tortillas, softened (two per taco)
1 c cilantro, chopped
1/2 c green onions, sliced
Sriracha
Alright, let’s start off with the aioli. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. Transfer to a squirt bottle and refrigerate until ready to use.
Time to make those beans. If you choose to take the long route, here’s how to do it. Rinse the beans in a colander then, cover with water and soak for 3-4 hours. Once the beans have swelled, drain in colander again and rinse well. Transfer them to a large pot and cover with water, about 8 cups. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Do not season the beans until they are tender. Simmer the beans for about an hour or until the liquid had almost completely cooked down. Make sure you are stirring occasionally at first, then frequently as the liquid begins to disappear. You should be left with about 2/3 c liquid when you need to add the lard and salt. If you don’t want to use lard, you can easily add some oil of your choice. I cook them the way my grandmother did when I was a child, with lard. Remove the pot from the heat and transfer to a deep bowl. Mash the beans with a bean masher or a whisk (what I use) until they become creamy. You can add water 1 tbs at a time if they are too dry.
Make the chutney by combining all of the ingredients in a nonreactive sauce pot. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat to simmer for 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes or so. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to bowl and set aside.
For your Samosa meat, Add oil and onions to a saute pan and cook over medium high heat until tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beef to the pan and break it up with a spatula or spoon. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until meat has browned.
Soften the tortillas by carefully dipping in hot oil, or heating in a non-stick pan with non-stick spray.
Assemble by taking two tortillas and putting them together (this will prevent tearing), top with about 1/4 c beans, 2 tbs samosa meat, a drizzle of aioli and sriracha. Then, finish it off with a sprinkle of cilantro and green onions. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Girl-Chef Tastes 