Chef T's Tangy Black Bean Bowls with Cilantro-Lime Yogurt Sauce and Pickled Red Onions

Chef T's Tangy Black Bean Bowls with Cilantro-Lime Yogurt Sauce and Pickled Red Onions

Okay okay okay everyone has a black bean bowl, but this one is really nice and tangy. You can, of course, customize this by putting in avocados, cooked or raw bell peppers, etc. I really like the abundance of pickled red onions which create such a sensation with the yogurt sauce. You can feel great about eating this, and it can come together very quickly if you cook the black beans ahead of time or use canned beans. Very good at room temperature.

1.5 cups dried rice or quinoa, cooked (optional)
2 cups (About 1 pound) black beans (or 4 15-oz cans beans)
2 cups plain yogurt, full fat
1 lime
1/2 bunch cilantro
Salt
Chile powder
1 medium red onion
White vinegar
Canola oil
16 oz frozen corn
16 oz frozen broccoli
Pepitas (pumpkin seeds), for garnish

Directions

1. Make the rice or quinoa, if using

2. Make the beans, either by stovetop or by Instant Pot (see http://cheftsbookofgoodeats.blogspot.com/2018/04/black-beans-via-pressure-cooker-or-slow.html)
Set drained beans aside in a bowl.

3. If you using canned beans, drain cans and combine into one bowl. Combine drained beans with 2 teaspoons each cumin and chile powder.

4. Finely chop red onion and cover with white vinegar. Give it a stir and set it aside.

5. Make the yogurt sauce. Chop the 1/2 bunch cilantro (thin stems okay) finely and combine with yogurt. Zest lime, then juice the lime, and throw in the lime zest and juice into the yogurt sauce. Stir in 1/4 tsp salt into the yogurt sauce. Set aside.

6. Heat a large skillet on high until it is very hot. Add a tablespoon of canola oil, and let it heat up another minute. Put in as much frozen corn as will fit in one layer (you may need to do more than one batch). Throw in a teaspoon of chile powder. Stir to mix and then arrange back in one layer. Don't stir for a minute. Then stir. Then don't stir for a minute. Repeat until corn is charred but not too burnt. When done, empty corn into bowl with beans.

7. Add a tablespoon more canola oil to the skillet that just had the corn in it. Heat it up for 15 seconds or so. Cook the broccoli, charring it on one side and pressing the broccoli with a wooden spoon gently to extract water. Once charred on one side, turn broccoli pieces to a different side. Repeat until all sides are charred and you can chop broccoli with a wooden spoon. Combine broccoli with bean and corn mixture.

8. Make the bowl. If using rice or quinoa, start with that. Then put the bean and corn mixture. Then put the yogurt sauce, followed by the pickled onions. Top with pepitas if you like. Enjoy.