Ingredients
For the beef filling
- 500 g beef mince
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp chipotle powder
- 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 200 g tinned black beans, rinsed thoroughly
- 140 g tomato paste (1 small tub)
- 120 ml beef stock
For assembly
- 370 g cooked basmati rice
- ½ cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped
- 200 g tortilla chips
- kernels from 1 cob of corn
- 57 g mozzarella, shredded
- 57 g cheddar, shredded
- ½ cup feta, crumbled
For the fresh tomato topping
- 250 g tub of cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 lemon, zested
For the Greek yoghurt dressing
- 200 g Greek yoghurt
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- small handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Combine the rice and coriander and set aside.
Place a frypan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and once hot, add the onion and cook until fragrant and translucent (about 1 minute). Add the garlic, oregano, chipotle powder, paprika, cumin and mustard powder and cook, stirring constantly to prevent catching and until the onion is coated in the spice mixture.
Add the mince in one lump (like a giant patty) and cook for 5 minutes, then flip it and cook for another minute before breaking up with a wooden spoon – this ensures the beef gets all those lovely crispy bits.
Add the oyster sauce and stir until incorporated then add the black beans, tomato paste and the stock. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Make the Greek yoghurt dressing: stir together the yoghurt, lime juice, crushed garlic and coriander in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper until smooth. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve.
Line the base of a large roasting tray with baking paper and spread out the tortilla chips. Make a hole in the middle and add the mince mixture. Dollop the rice in two areas on top of the tortilla chips. Top with corn and all the cheese (mozzarella, cheddar and feta). Pop in the oven for 10 minutes or until rice and corn are warmed through and the cheese has melted.
While this is cooking, combine the cherry tomatoes, coriander and lime juice in a bowl.
Remove roasting tray from the oven. Top with the tomato mixture, add a final sprinkling of lemon zest and serve with the Greek yoghurt dressing to the side.
Tips:
Taco night at my place is a serious thing and we have a few hard and fast rules which I encourage you to try for yourself.
1. Never limit yourself to one cheese. The combo of mozzarella, cheddar and feta levitates.
2. No Old El Paso but yes to a dollop of oyster sauce. Completely untraditional and completely delicious.
3. Chuck as much as you can in one big roasting dish then top with the fresh bits. It's a win-win. It also limits the cutlery yet maximises the taco crunch to filling ratio in every bite.
4. A roasting tray with its base covered in tortilla chips brings a special kind of joy, one not to be missed.
