Rice and Bean Burrito Bowl with Yellow Onion and Simple Salsa

I've been craving Mexican food for awhile now.  Unfortunately, I don't know how to make a good mole poblano sauce, so I decided on working around a nice tangy salsa.  This dish can be vigorously seasoned and spiced to taste from fiery to mild.  If you don't go the vegetarian route, toss some grilled chicken or pulled pork into this.  I wanted to make tortillas and have burritos, but I was tired so we went with burrito bowls.

The Salsa
You can increase the amount of ingredients proportionally to meet your needs.  This recipe will make about enough for 4 servings.

1 Roma Tomato
2 medium Tomatillos (husked)
1 tsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Chili powder
2 Tbsp minced or grated Lemon Zest
Salt and Pepper to taste

Roughly chop the fruit and put in a food processor.  Add spices and pulse blend until finely chopped.

One of the things I love about this salsa is that it has a wonderful tangy flavor that compliments a spicier dish.  The lemon zest makes for a great undertone when the salsa is fresh, but becomes prominent after it sits for a day.  You can make variations on this salsa quite easily by adding seeded jalapeños for heat, increasing the tomato/tomatillo ration for sweetness, adding cilantro for bite, or pulling out the tomato for a pure salsa verde.       Add lime juice and substitute lime zest for a stronger citrus flavor.  Add chopped onions for body.  The version above is refreshing, simple, and delicious.

The Filling


This is really just a basic rice and bean dish that is topped with sweated onions and garlic.  You can play a lot with with seasonings, as with the salsa, but I tend to prefer a stronger flavor in the base that compliments the salsa.

1 large Yellow Onion
1-2 cloves Garlic
1 tsp Olive Oil
1/4 cup Water
1 cup Brown Rice (and water for cooking)
1 can Garbanzo or Black Beans (rinsed and drained)
Cumin, Chili Powder, Salt, and Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

Cook the rice (I use one of humanities' greatest inventions the Zojirushi Neurofuzzy, but cook as you normally would brown rice, leaving it a little on the dry side since we will be stir frying it later.)

Chop the onions and garlic roughly.  Put oil and water in a wok and heat.  Add onions and garlic.  Cook over medium/high heat until the water has cooked off.  While the vegetables are sweating, add chili powder, salt, pepper and cumin to taste.  Set aside.

Put the cooked rice and garbanzos in the wok.  Add the balsamic and soy sauce.  I really enjoy the combination of soy sauce and balsamic vinegar and use it as often as I can.  I love it because it makes a great savory base that you can build on easily.  Don't overdo the vinegar though, else it will overpower the other flavors.  Add cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste.  Stir fry until the rice and beans are lightly browned.  You can easily add to the complexity of the dish by incorporating cilantro, citrus, bell pepper, tofu, meats, etc.  If adding tofu or meat, cook and season it separately then add it to the mix.

Serve the rice and beans in a bowl, top with onions and salsa.  Add grated cheese if you feel so inclined.

Sorry about the photo quality.  We had some lighting and camera issues

I have no doubt that I will revisit this dish with some fresh cilantro and when I've had some practice making mole sauce.  Until then...Bonk appétit!