Tacos with Beans, Mango, and Avocado, with Homemade Polenta Dough and Flax Seeds
Yes, tacos can be healthy too! This recipe suggests preparing the dough with a base of polenta and flax seeds. Polenta gives the dough the typical flavor of corn tortillas, and flax seeds help create a flexible dough that is easy to roll. For the filling, we will use beans prepared in a chili-style without meat (you can use white or black beans), accompanied by a fresh mango, bell pepper, avocado, and cilantro salad that brings a sweet and very refreshing touch. To give them the final Mexican touch, we will dress the tacos with a tomato and chili sauce.
Ingredients (for 4 tacos)
- 3 tablespoons of flax seeds
- 5 tablespoons of polenta
- 150 ml of water
- 1 mango
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 1 avocado
- 2 spring onions
- 4 sweet cherry tomatoes
- 1 can of beans (white or black)
- 1/2 can of crushed tomatoes (200g)
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of chili powder
- 1 small tomato (or 1/2 large tomato)
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- Chopped cilantro
- Salt, olive oil
Instructions
Make the taco dough
- Mix the polenta with flax seeds, a pinch of ground cumin, and a pinch of salt. Blend it finely using a blender.
- Pour this mixture into a bowl and add the water.
- Stir with a spoon until you get a lump-free dough, with the consistency of pancake batter.
- Let it rest in the fridge for half an hour.
Prepare the beans
- Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a pot over medium heat.
- When hot, add a teaspoon of ground cumin, then the tomatoes with a pinch of salt.
- Let it cook until thickened. Once thickened, add the beans, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Keep warm.
Make the salad
- Cut the mango, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and avocado into small cubes.
- Place them in a bowl, add the chopped spring onions, chopped cilantro, a touch of chili powder, one tablespoon of olive oil, and a little lime juice.
- Mix well.
Make the spicy sauce
- Blend the fresh tomato (or half a large tomato) with a teaspoon of chili powder in a blender.
- Pour the sauce into a bowl, add one tablespoon of olive oil, and mix.
Cook the taco dough
- In a hot non-stick pan, without oil (if you add oil, the dough will slip), place 2 to 3 tablespoons of dough and spread it into a disk 10-12 cm in diameter with a spoon. This step is delicate, but once the disk is formed, the dough becomes stronger and won’t break.
- Flip it over, cook the “crepe” on the other side, and keep warm until all 4 disks are done.
Fill the tacos with beans, a few spoonfuls of salad, and a bit of spicy sauce. Serve with lime wedges that each guest can squeeze to add a final tangy touch.
