Burrito bowl with sweet and smoky chipotle dressing

I have eaten a burrito a handful of times. Once was on a trip to London when John had booked us surprise tickets to see Kate Rusby. Sadly, he had got the wrong day so instead of enjoying the concert, we ate burritos from the Wahaca food van on the South Bank and watched the boats on the Thames.

At the time I had just been shortlisted for the Best Short Cookery Course in the UK and Ireland. I had made it down to the final six but lost out to Jamie Oliver. Wahaca’s founder Thomasina Miers was on the judging panel, so I thought it was serendipity when I saw the Wahaca food van parked outside the Royal Festival Hall. I tried the burrito and and exceptionally fine it was too. I remember being astonished at the amount of food Wahaca managed to cram inside my consolation burrito. I could only manage half.

This bowl is based on the ingredients you would find in a burrito, but not necessarily the one I had. It seems that fillings can be a broad church.

Add whatever takes your fancy from guacamole to salsa to pickled onions to jalapenos and slaw. It’s a good way of using leftovers and cooked elements could be added if you’re not a raw food purist.  

What brings this wholefood bowl together is a delicious sweet and smoky raw sauce slathered over. The sweetness is in the tomatoes and peppers and the smokiness is in the smoked paprika, chipotle and mesquite powder. Squeeze a little wedge of lime over at the end for touch of brightness.

The sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, but I bet you’ll finish it before.

This is one of the dishes from the Raw Chef Low Sugar Foundation Award: a step by step programme that shows you how to make delicious raw food in under 15 minutes, low on sugar (even gloopy syrups) and low in nuts. It’s for people who are new to raw food, those who need a refresher reboot and suitable for experienced raw foodies too. You don’t need a dehydrator for this online course. You can join us at any time - we are friendly bunch and there is a lot of online support - and live ‘zoom’ sessions too. This beautiful sunny version was made by Krystyna in one of the live ‘zoom cook-a-long’ during the course.

BURRITO BOWL WITH BBQ COLESLAW AND SWEET AND SMOKY DRESSING

Buritto Bowl with smoky chipotle dressing. by Krystyna Twardowska-Wasiluk - from the Raw Chef Low Sugar Foundation Award

BBQ COLESLAW

INGREDIENTS
¼ red cabbage
1 carrot, peeled
1 thin slice of red onion
1 handful fresh coriander leaf

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
a pinch cumin powder or a few cumin seeds
A tiny amount of garlic, minced (optional)
a pinch sea salt

METHOD

In a bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, oil, mustard, cumin, garlic and salt. 

Using a mandolin or sharp knife, finely shred the cabbage. Shred the carrot using a box grater or julienne cutter. Thinly slice the onion.  Roughly chop the coriander leaf. Add it to the bowl of dressing and lightly toss. 

NOTE: Dress the coleslaw just before using for a crunchy coleslaw.

SWEET AND SMOKY CHIPOTLE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

70g/½ cup cashew nuts, soaked for at least 2 hours
1 heaped tablespoon coconut yoghurt
½ tomato, roughly chopped
1 red pepper (bell pepper), deseeded and chopped
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon chipotle powder – or to taste
¼ teaspoon mesquite (Peruvian carob)
½ teaspoon sea salt

METHOD
Rinse the cashew nuts. Add all the ingredients to a blender and whizz until very smooth, adjusting the seasoning and heat to taste. Set aside until needed.

BURRITO BOWL

INGREDIENTS
½ quantity of cauliflower rice
½ quantity of BBQ coleslaw (above)
1 lime
2 large plum tomatoes
1 slice red onion
1 clove garlic
½ tablespoon white wine vinegar
½ ripe avocado
4 leaves little gem or romaine (or some crisp lettuce), shredded
½ cup frozen sweetcorn, defrosted
¼ cup cooked black beans or pinto beans (canned – optional)
1 bunch fresh coriander leaf
1 tablespoon dry pumpkin seeds

METHOD
Cut the lime in half and juice half of it and cut the other half into wedges. Set aside the wedges. Make a quick salsa by finely chopping one of the tomatoes. Finely mince the red onion. Combine the chopped tomato with the red onion and a tiny grating of garlic the white wine vinegar and lime juice. Set aside until ready to serve.

Arrange the remaining ingredients in a bowl and serve with the sweet and smoky chipotle sauce and the wedges of lime.