Cooking with Shail

Nachos are basically tortilla chips which can be served with toppings or just plain with salsa. Nachos are made with maize flour/makai ka atta and fried till crisp. You can store these chips upto 15 days in an airtight container and use as you need. You can have it as your main course or just the chips with tea or coffee. coat the chips with some chat masala or mexican seasoning or cheese powder and you get flavored chips to just chew on for your in between hunger pangs. Lets get cooking….

Ingredients:

Nachos:

Maize flour/Makai ka atta – 1 cup

Wheat flour – 1/4 cup

Oats (powdered) – 1/4 cup

Oil – 4 tbsp

Ajwain – 2 tsp

Lukewarm water – 3/4 cup

Salt as per taste

Oil for frying

For salsa topping:

Onion (finely chopped) – 2 large

Tomato (finely chopped) – 2 large

Capsicum (finely chopped) – 1 large

Boiled corn kernels – 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves (finely chopped) – 1/4 cup

Paprika Powder/ Red chilli powder – 2 tsp

Black pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Cumin Powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp

Garlic (finely chopped) – 1 tsp

Sugar (powdered) – 2 tsp

Oregano – 1 tsp

Salt – 1/4 tsp

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp

White Sauce:

Butter – 2 tbsp

Maida/ All purpose flour – 2 tbsp

Garlic Powder – 1 tsp

Milk – 1 cup

Processed cheese (grated) – 1/4 cup

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Other:

Mozzarella Cheese (grated) – 1 cup

Method:

For nachos:

1) In a bowl take the maize flour, wheat flour, powdered oats, salt, ajwain and mix them well.

2) Now add the oil in this mixture and mix it well. Now add the water little by little and knead into a smooth and a semi hard dough ( the dough should not be like roti and little hard).

3) Keep aside for resting for 20 minutes.

4) After 20 minutes knead the dough again by applying a little oil for 5 minutes.

5) Make approximately 4-5 balls out of this dough. Then roll the ball into a very thin roti and poke holes with fork all over the roti so that the nachos do not puff up while frying (do not apply flour while rolling). Cut the roti first horizontally then vertically and then diagonally like a pizza (this will give triangular shape).

6) Roll and cut all the balls in similar manner and keep the nachos aside. Meanwhile in a thick wok and take oil. Keep the flame on medium and let the oil become warm (do not make it hot just warm).

7) Start adding the chips into the warm oil and cook till light golden. Do not make the flame high cook in medium flame throughout. This will make the chips crisp.

For white sauce:

1) In a pan add the butter once warm add the maida and mix it well into the butter till no lumps and cook till lightly changes color.

2) Now add the milk, garlic powder and salt and mix well.

3) Once the milk thickens turn off the gas and add the grated cheese and mix it well. Use this sauce immediately or else will thicken a lot. If you need to use it later then add a little milk to it and make it warm again before using.

For salsa topping:

1) In a bowl take the onions, tomatoes, capsicum and corn. Now add the paprika powder/red chilli powder, black pepper powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garlic, coriander leaves, lemon juice, oregano, sugar and salt and mix it all together.

2) Keep aside.

For Assembly:

1) In a baking dish/tray arrange the nachos evenly at the base. Now drizzle some white sauce on top (roughly around 2 tbsp).

2) Then add the salsa topping generously. Again drizzle the white sauce. Finally top it with grated cheese.

3) Preheat the oven at 180 degrees for 5 minutes. Now bake the nachos with toppings as prepared for around 12-15 minutes or so till the cheese melts at 180 degrees in the oven. If you do not have an oven assemble your nachos with toppings in a non stick pan. Cover the pan for five to eight minutes and cook on low flame till cheese melts.

4) Serve immediately.