Color Mania #10 - Tacos & Black Bean Salsa

My love for food and exploring cuisines never has "The end". But then, my color mania does end up here. :( The last but not the least is one of my favorite color - black. :)

Black once again was a challenge since there are very few choices of black ingredients. Black beans is the best out of them. :) Dried black beans is suppose to be a common ingredient here in India, but for my bad luck I really couldn't find it anywhere. Never mind, the imported organic black beans saved me :)

A taco is a traditional Mexican dish composed of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled around a filling. A taco can be made with a variety of fillings, including vegetables, beef, chicken, seafood and cheese, allowing for great versatility and variety. A taco is generally accompanied by garnishes such as salsa, cilantro, tomatoes, onions and lettuce.

Here is my simple yet yummy version of tacos with black bean salsa for you :)

Color Mania #10: Black

Did you know: -

• Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum, they absorb all such frequencies of light.
• It is a classic color for clothing, possibly because it makes the wearer appear thinner and more sophisticated.
• A black cat crossing one's path is considered bad luck in many cultures, except in England, where spotting a black cat is considered good luck.
• Black was used for mourning by the Egyptians and Romans, and today almost all countries associate it with death and mourning.
• The color black is associated with sophistication and power...tuxedos, limousines, judge's robes, and priests' attire are all typically black.
• Black implies weight -- people will think a black box weighs more than a white one.
• Black comedy is creating comedy out of a tragic event or situation.
• Black belt is the highest awarded belt in the martial arts.
• Black coffee is coffee without milk.
• Blackmail is to demand payment or action by means of a threat.

I love cars in black. They give a super sophisticated look which makes me turn to it always. Will own a black BMW or Benz or even a Limousine someday ;)

Ingredients:

Black beans - 1 can (400gms)
Onion - 1 large
Green chilly / jalapeno - 1
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Black pepper powder - for taste
Salt - for taste
Olive oil - 2 tsp
Taco shells - 6
Cheese

Method:

Chop onion and chilly finely and keep it aside. Drain all the water from the can of black beans.

Heat olive oil in a pan and fry finely chopped onion and green chilly till onions turn golden brown. Now add the black beans and saute till it gets soft and cooked. Add salt and pepper to it as per your taste. Remove from flame and finally pour in the lemon extract and mix well.

Black bean salsa is ready.

Fill 2 tbl spn of the salsa in the taco shell and grate cheese on top of it. Microwave at full power for 1 or 2 mins. Serve it hot and cheesy ;)

Yummy tacos with black bean salsa is ready to eat :)

Enjoy making :)

Note:

The epicure organic black beans can had the black beans soaked in water. So it was pretty soft and I did not cook it separately. But if you had got a pack of dried black beans, you need to soak it in water over night and cook it separately and then use it for salsa.

You can add other veggies like tomatoes, bell peppers, shredded lettuce etc for the salsa. I dint use them since I wanted a black looking dish. ;)

Written by: Nithya
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