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Quelites guisados
Sautéed wild greens
Quelites guisados: central Mexican wild greens sautéed with onion, garlic and chilli, for tacos
Quelites is the Nahuatl-rooted word for the edible wild greens of central Mexico, such as quintoniles (amaranth), verdolagas (purslane) and huauzontle, and in the markets of Mexico City, Puebla and Tlaxcala they are sold by the bunch in the rainy season and cooked this way for everyday lunches. The greens are blanched, then sautéed with onion, garlic, tomato and serrano chilli until soft and savoury, and piled into hot corn tortillas with salsa and, if you like, crumbled fresh cheese. Without cheese it is vegan, with about 6 g of protein per portion including two tortillas. The common mistake is leaving the greens wet: they steam and turn watery instead of frying. Spinach, chard or amaranth leaves work if you can't find quelites. Chef's tip: cut the serrano in half lengthways and fry it with the onion; it flavours the oil gently and you can lift it out if it's too hot.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb quelites (amaranth leaves, purslane or lamb's quarters)thick stems removed; or spinach and chard
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 white onionchopped
- 2 cloves garlicchopped
- 1 serrano chillihalved lengthways
- 1 tomatochopped
- ¾ tsp salt
To serve
- 8 corn tortillaswarm
- 4 tbsp red or green salsa (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Blanch 1 ⅛ lb quelites (amaranth leaves, purslane or lamb's quarters) in boiling salted water until just wilted, about 1 minute, drain, rinse cold and squeeze as dry as you can. Chop roughly.
3 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry 1 white onion and 1 serrano chilli until the onion is soft and translucent.
4 minStep 4: Add the greens and ¾ tsp salt and fry, stirring, until the greens are hot through, glossy and dry.
4 minStep 5: Serve in warm 8 corn tortillas with 4 tbsp red or green salsa, if using, and a crumble of queso fresco if you are not keeping it vegan.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 200 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does quelites guisados take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of white onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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