These Plantain and black bean tacos epitomises 'Umami'. Whether you are vegan, non-vegan - this caters for all your taste buds. Full stop! Incredibly tasty!
INGREDIENTS
For the Chimichurri Sauce
1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley
1 cup loosely packed fresh coriander
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 garlic clove, peeled
Zest from 1/2 lime
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red chilli flakes
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
About 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the Plantains
3 large ripe plantains, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tsp. chilli powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
For the Black Beans
1 (400g) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 Small onion
1 Garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
100ml Vegetable stock
Juice from 1 lime
Pinch of salt
For Serving
Corn tortillas
Greek yogurt
METHOD
Make the chimichurri sauce. Add all of the ingredients, except for the olive oil, to the bowl of your food processor with the blade attachment. Pulse to combine. Then stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add about 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and process until combined (you want some texture to the sauce, so don’t over process it), adding more olive oil if you want the sauce to have a thinner consistency. Transfer the chimichurri sauce to a small container and refrigerate it until you’re ready to use it.
Make the plantains. In a large bowl, toss the plantains with the brown sugar and spices. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add half of the plantain slices to the skillet, cooking them about 2 minutes per side, or until they are nicely browned and caramelised on each side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add a little more olive oil to the skillet and cook the remaining plantain slices. Once cooked, add them to the plate with the other plantains and cover to keep warm.
Make the beans. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and cook until the aromas are released. Add in the black beans (make sure they are drained) and stir in for 3 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, 100ml of vegetable stock and mix in. Add a pinch of salt, the juice of a lime and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat . Transfer the black beans to a bowl and keep warm once cooked.
Assemble the tacos. Warm the tortillas so they are soft and pliable, either in your microwave, in a skillet or on your grill. Spread a small amount of yogurt onto each tortilla. Top with the black beans, plantains and a spoonful of the chimichurri sauce.
Enjoy.