Shrimp Enchilada

The first thing that comes to mind when we think Mexican cuisine is the Taco. Followed by probably Burritos. And then come Enchiladas. Of course this order is from my perspective and it might slightly differ for each one of us. For those of you not familiar on the essentials of the Enchilada (which I highly doubt), Enchiladas are corn tortillas rolled around a filling and covered with spicy savoury sauce/cheesy white sauce, then topped with shredded cheddar & mozzarella cheese and baked. They can be filled with a variety of ingredients, including various meats, seafoods, beans, cheese or vegetables or any of its combinations.

Today I have made shrimp enchilada. As the name suggests I have used shrimps, cheese, veggies & Taco seasoning for the Enchilada stuffing.

Let’s learn how to make the Taco seasoning first:

This spice blend is the primary ingredient to bring out that typical mexican flavour in this dish. You can use this in many other mexican dishes. Mix everything until well combined and store in a Jar.

• Chilli powder-1 teaspoon
• Cayenne Pepper -1 teaspoon
• Garlic powder- 2 teaspoon
• Onion powder-1 teaspoon
• Cumin powder-1 & 1/2 teaspoon
• Dried Oregano- 1 teaspoon
• Red Chilli flakes-1/2 teaspoon
• Paprika- 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt-1 teaspoon
• Black Pepper- 1 teaspoon

Ingredients:

For the Enchilada filling:

• Shrimps-1/2 lb (around 220 gm) (skin removed & deveined)
• Olive oil-1 table spoon
• Garlic-3 cloves (minced)
• Onion-1 (medium) (chopped)
• Jalapeno-1 (chopped)
• Coloured Peppered- 3 (red, orange, yellow) (chopped)
• Taco seasoning-1 teaspoon
• Salt & pepper (if you need more)

For the Enchilada Sauce:

• Taco seasoning – 3 teaspoon
• Butter – 2 tablespoon
• All purpose flour – 2 tablespoon
• Salt & pepper – (to taste)
• Water -1 cup
• Tomato sauce – 1/2 cup

For the Final Step

• Corn Tortillas- 6 inches diameter (8 pieces)
• Cheddar & Mozzarella cheese mix/ Colby Jack cheese-1 cup (shredded)
• Fresh Cilantro- a handful chopped (for garnish)

Cooking Method:

• Heat a pan, add olive oil, saute garlic, onion, jalapeno, coloured peppers togethers for 5-6 minutes.
• Add Taco seasoning and salt & pepper as per taste.
• Finally add the chopped shrimps and saute for 2 more minutes or until the colour of the shrimps change. Remove the mixture from heat and let it cool down to room temperature.
• For the sauce: In the same hot pan add butter. When it melts, add plain flour and mix well till flour becomes light golden. Then add water, taco seasoning, tomato sauce and more salt & pepper if needed. Let it boil for few minutes until the consistency thickens.
• Remove the sauce from heat and let it cool.
• Now take the corn tortillas, fry them with a little bit oil brushing in a fresh frying pan and keep aside.
• Assembly: Take a corn tortilla, fold them into a roll with a filling of the cooked shrimp and shredded cheese. Place seam side down in a baking dish. 
• Repeat with remaining tortillas. Now pour the sauce over enchiladas and top it off with the remaining cheese.
• Bake at 350F in a preheated oven for around 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve warm.

Presentation:

I have garnished with few fried shrimps on the top. Served lettuce & avocado salad on the side.