*Mexican Taco Bake Casserole* – layered, cheesy and so tasty!
Here is the full recipe:
*Ingredients:*
*For Meat Layer:*
– 500g Chicken or Beef Qeema (minced)
– 1 cup cooked rice
– 1 onion chopped
– 2 garlic cloves minced
– 1 packet Taco seasoning (or 1 tsp cumin, paprika, salt, black pepper)
– 1/2 cup tomato salsa / ketchup
– 2 tbsp oil
*For Topping:*
– 1 cup sour cream (or hung curd / mayonnaise + dahi mix)
– 1 cup shredded cheddar / mozzarella cheese
– 1 cup iceberg lettuce chopped
– 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes sliced
– 1 avocado diced (optional)
– 1/4 cup black olives sliced
– Fresh coriander
*Method:*
*1. Cook Qeema:* Heat oil, fry onion & garlic, add qeema, cook till brown. Add taco spices and salsa. Mix in cooked rice. Cook 5 mins.
*2. Layer in Dish:* In a baking dish, spread the qeema-rice mixture as first layer. Press it flat.
*3. Cheese Layer:* Spread sour cream on top, then sprinkle all the cheese.
*4. Bake:* Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for 15-20 mins till cheese melts.
*5. Fresh Topping:* Take out from oven and immediately top with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, olives and coriander.
Serve hot! It’s a complete meal –
Want me to give you the desi version without avocado and sour cream?
Tips for perfect *Taco Bake*
*1. Don’t make it watery:* After cooking qeema, dry all water. If mixture is watery, the bake will break while serving.
*2. Rice tip:* Use leftover boiled rice or 90-second microwave rice. Don’t use fresh hot sticky rice.
*3. Cheesy pull:* Mix mozzarella + cheddar. Mozzarella gives stretch, cheddar gives taste.
*4. Sour cream substitute (Desi):* Mix 1/2 cup thick dahi + 2 tbsp mayo + pinch salt + lemon juice. Same taste!
*5. Don’t bake the salad:* Lettuce, tomato, avocado & olives always add AFTER baking. Otherwise they become black and soggy.
*6. Spicy version:* Add chopped jalapenos or 1 tsp chili flakes in qeema layer.
*7. Make it crispy:* For a crunchy base, you can add a layer of crushed nachos or khasta papad at the bottom before the qeema.
*8. Storage:* Best to eat fresh. If you want to store, store only the baked qeema+cheese part in fridge for 2 days. Add fresh veggies only when serving.