Honduran Baleada
Honduran Baleada, a traditional dish. Tortilla filled with mashed beans and creama. The filling can be simple beans to exotic meats.
Tortilla, in Spanish means "small torta", or "small cake", is a type of soft, thin flat-bread made from finely ground wheat flour.
Baleadas are Honduras's most original and popular food. A wheat flour tortilla, often thick, folded in half and filled with mashed fried beans. The filling can be very versatile, you can stuff anything you like into it and make a delicious meal.
There are different kinds of baleada according to the ingredients chosen by the customer or the region of Honduras.
- Simple baleadas filled with refried red beans, cream/crema, cheese.
- Special baleadas filled with refried red beans, cream/crema, cheese, scrambled eggs
- Super special baleadas filled with refried red beans, cream/crema, cheese, scrambled eggs, chicken, ground meat or sausage.
I have tried to make a vegetarian version of this honduran dish. A wheat flour tortilla , filled with red-kidney bean puree, and a lip-smacking capsicum masala. A lip-smacking meal ticking, bread, spread and veggies all in one fold.
Some Mexican dishes to try
- Rice & Bean Burrito, tortilla stuffed with garlic rice, softly cooked beans and tomato salsa
- Salsa Roja, a basic sauce with tomatoes, onion, chilies, garlic and cilantro.
- Tacos with cauliflower & Chickpeas,
Honduran Baleada
Ingredients
For the capsicum masala
- 2 nos green capsicum sliced thin
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 large tomato finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
For the Red kidney bean paste
- ½ cup Red kidney beans/rajma beans Pre-soaked for 8 hours
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper pwoder
- ¼ cup fresh milk or cream
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
For the Tortilla
- 1.5 cups Whole Wheat flour not Aatta flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon oil any vegetable oil
- ½ - ¾ cup warm water
Instructions
Capsicum Masala
- Wash and slice the capsicums thinly. Chop the onions and tomatoes. Heat oil in a pan, add onions and garlic, saute until translucent.
- Now add chopped tomatoes, chili and pepper powder. Let the tomatoes cook until soft. Add chopped capsicums, salt and sprinkle water, cover and cook for 10 minutes in a simmer flame.
- After 10 minutes, take the cover and let it cook for another 2 minutes, take it off the flame. Let it cool, keep aside until use.
Red Kidney Bean Puree
- Pressure cook the pre-soaked kidney beans for 3 whistles or you can even cook it in a microwave for 15 minutes.
- Drain the water. In a sauce pan, heat oil, add chopped onion and garlic, saute until translucent. Add the cooked beans and saute for a minute.
- Add cream/milk and pepper powder to this and take it off the flame. Let it cool completely.
- Add salt and puree it using a hand blender. Keep aside until use.
Making the Tortilla
- I kneaded the dough using a food processor, it can also be kneaded by hand. Take the flour, salt, baking powder together in the processor bowl. Run at a low speed for the contents to mix well. Slowly add warm water followed by oil and knead a smooth, soft, pliable dough.
- Let the dough rest for 15 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 portions.
- Clean your kneading surface well, sprinkle it generously with flour. Take one portion of dough, keeping the rest covered. Roll out the dough into a large, thin circle.
- Heat a skillet, it should be hot, place the rolled out dough on the hot skillet and turn quickly after 10 seconds. Flip and cook both sides quickly until brown spots appear on top.
- Do not cook the tortilla for long, it will turn hard. To get a soft tortilla, keep the griddle hot, flip and cook every 10 seconds. Do not cook the tortilla for more than a minute.
- Keep the cooked tortilla covered in a tea towel. Repeat the same with rest of the dough.
Assembling the Baleada
- Take a tortilla, spread a tablespoon of red kidney bean puree, top it with capsicum masala, spread a generous sprinkle of cheddar cheese. Fold and serve.
- They taste better, when served hot. So, better keep the spreads ready and have a helping hand in the kitchen to serve as you cook the tortilla.
Disclaimer
I m not a Doctor or a Nutritionist The Nutrition information provided above comes from the plugin and is only an estimate.
These delicious honduran baleada filled with fresh masala , red bean puree, and cheese makes a wholesome meal, serve it with a glass of chilled strawberry aqua fresca
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nice veg version of baleadas...looks super delicious...
This is new to me.. Interesting recipe. Nice to learn and try out new dishes.
These make a filling meal. I make the simple bean-cheese version that happens to be my daughter's favorite.
This is a delicious meal for me , love the kidney bean dip, in fact the whole set up seems delicious and would make a perfect meal, super one !
These look super tempting, Priya.
chapathi with a pinch of baking powder! So interesting...
Very interesting recipe.Love to try it.
I enjoyed reading the notes Priya..very nicely captured information..and the dish no doubt looks inviting!
Wow, thats an incredible tortilla Priya, such a different take from the usual one.
liked the intro with the history you gave us
loved the history as well as the homemade tortillas 🙂 I would have used store bought ones :_))
Superb dish Priya! Very filling one too..
Super flavors all combined in one dish. Like your innovative 'hummus'.
What a lovely looking dish this is! Loved to read about the dish 🙂
Perfectly made Honduran Baleada Priya. Lovely clicks.
Beautifully made. I am tempted to try these immediately.Bookmarking.
The bean paste is my favorite part .....could use it as a healthy dip too!
Tempting and filling balaeda.
Nice and filling dish. I like it because the tortillas are made with wheat flour. Will taste great with some chilli sauce also.
Priya when you say the flour is not chapati atta is it maida? Does not look like it though.
Must make it for the bored with every day food children.
Hey arch, I think difference between is the milling process, I used pilsbury whole wheat flour, whereas chakki aata would be specifically mentioned it is chakki aata.
I think the protein content is more in whole Wheat than the chakki flour. And the color too is a bit dark than chakki aata
An interesting breakfast option or rather brunch option. Honduran Baleada can be stuffed with practically anything. Making red kidney bean paste without tomato and using milk or cream is definitely different.
Basically this was the Honduran form of a soft taco. What was so great is you can prepare the fillings the day before and then lunch is so easy. This was healthy and delicious and made such a great summer lunch
Lovely dish and I am sure we will enjoy this. This is on my to do list now.