Chicken Tostadas

• 12 tostadas (see Note)
• 500 g shredded chicken
• ½ head iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 2 cups grated carrot
• 200 g shredded quesillo (see Note)
• 150 ml crème fraiche
• 3 avocados, peeled and sliced

BLACK BEAN PASTE
• 125 ml (½ cup) vegetable oil
• ¼ cup plantain, sliced
• 2 cups cooked black turtle beans
• 2 tbsp chopped white onion
• salt, to taste

ARBOL SALSA
• 6–10 arbol chillies (see Note)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove
• ½ tsp salt

To prepare the black bean paste, heat the vegetable oil in a 25 cm frying pan over medium. Add the plantain and cook for 4 minutes or until golden all over. Remove and place in a blender. Add the cooked black beans and enough water to cover. Blend until very fine.

Reheat oil over medium and add the onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until starting to darken. Add the black bean paste and salt, then cook gently for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to develop. Reserve.

To prepare the salsa, wipe chillies clean. Heat oil in a frying pan and cook the chillies for 10–20 seconds or until lightly fragrant and darkened slightly. Place tomatoes in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil. Cook for 4–5 minutes until tomatoes are soft, then remove from the heat. Place the chillies in a blender and add tomato, garlic and salt. Add enough of the tomato cooking water as needed to cover the chillies. Blend until smooth, then place in a bowl.

Assemble the tostadas by smearing black bean paste over the bases, then top with layers of chicken, lettuce, carrot and cheese. Garnish with a drizzle of crème fraiche and few small slices of avocado then serve, offering the salsa on the table for each person to add to taste.

NOTE:
• Arbol chillies and tostadas are available from speciality food stores and Mexican grocers.
• If quesillo is unavailable, buffalo mozzerella will make a good substitute.