Vegan enchiladas with poblano cream sauce

How to make the black bean relish

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup black beans soaked for few hours in warm water
  • 1 medium red onion, minced fine
  • 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed (optional)
  • Juice from 1/2 lemon or lime
  • A few sprigs of cilantro, finely chopped
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

  • Cook the soaked black beans until soft (Alternately use a can of black beans)
  • After the cooked beans are cool, toss all the above ingredients together
  • Adjust salt and pepper to taste
  • You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate

How to make the vegan poblano cream sauce:

Ingredients:

  • 2 poblano peppers, washed and dried
  • 1/4 cup raw cashews
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil or avocado oil plus a little more oil for brushing the outside of the peppers
  • 1/2 white or yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

  • Brush the skin of the poblano pepper lightly with oil
  • Sear the skin in one of two ways: 1) On an open flame on a gas stove top, rotate the poblano pepper until the skin is seared on all sides 2) Place it under a broiler on high a little farther away from the coils. Rotate the poblano peppers when one side has seared well to get both sides. It may take around 10 mins
  • Place the peppers in a paper bag and close the opening by folding or crumpling the top
  • While the peppers are cooling down, soak the cashews in warm water
  • Open the paper bag when the peppers are cool (around 15 mins) and take out the peppers. The blackened skin should be easy to peel off now. Destem and deseed the peppers and chop it roughly
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a pan and add the onions
  • When the onions are translucent, add the garlic and saute for a minute
  • Add the poblano peppers, saute for 1 more minute and switch off.
  • Pour in to a blender and add the drained cashews. Add salt and pepper to taste and puree until smooth
  • Adjust salt and pepper after tasting

How to make the enchiladas

Ingredients:

  • 6 medium-sized whole wheat or sprouted wheat tortillas
  • 1 long Japanese eggplant, sliced into thin 1/4" rounds
  • 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
  • Salt and black pepper

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 350F
  • Toss the eggplant with 1 Tbsp of oil and salt and pepper
  • Place the eggplant in a single layer on a cookie sheet and cook for 10 minutes until the eggplant is soft. (Leave the oven preheated at 350F)
  • Using very little oil, heat the tortilla until cooked on both sides
  • Place the tortilla on a plate and place a few slices of eggplant in bottom 1/3rd of the tortilla and top with a spoon of the poblano sauce
  • Roll the tortilla and place it in a baking dish
  • Repeat with the remaining tortillas. You should have enough eggplant for six tortillas
  • Top the dish with the remaining poblano sauce
  • Place in the oven at 350F for 6 minutes until heated through
  • Serve with black bean relish on the side