Asha's Spicy Paneer Crunchwrap

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We love a good dupe, so when we were developing our house Taco Masala, we knew that we wanted to create the crunchwrap of our dreams. Our version started with a crumbled paneer filling, bolstered by red and green peppers, plus a hearty dose of taco masala. The filling is layered with black beans, a crunchy tostada, avocado-cilantro crema, crisp iceberg, diced tomato, and more grated cheese, wrapped up in a flour tortilla, and grilled until golden-crisp. Best enjoyed with a handful of hot sauce packets pulled from your condiment drawer.

Ingredients

For the filling and beans

3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or rapeseed
1 small white or yellow onion, finely diced
1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
1 poblano pepper, finely diced
1 serrano pepper, minced (optional)
6 to 8 ounces paneer, crumbled
2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning
1¾ teaspoons Surya Salt or 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained well
½ teaspoon ground Jodhana Cumin

For the sauce & assembly

⅓ cup sour cream
1 medium-to-large avocado
1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1 serrano pepper, roughly chopped
Zest of 1 lime
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon Pahadi Pink Garlic
¾ teaspoons Surya Salt or ½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 burrito-size flour tortillas, or 4 large flour tortillas + 4 soft taco-size flour tortillas
4 store-bought tostada shells
1 cup grated Mexican blend cheese
1½ cups shredded iceberg lettuce
2 plum tomatoes, diced
Your favorite hot sauce, for serving

Methods

To make the paneer filling, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, poblano, serrano, if using, and 1 teaspoon Surya Salt or ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onions start to turn light brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.
Push the onions and peppers to the sides of the skillet, increase the heat to medium-high, pour the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral oil in the open space and then add the crumbled paneer as close to a single layer as possible. Cook, undisturbed, until the paneer turns light golden on the bottom, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir together the paneer and vegetables, then add the taco masala and cook for 30 to 45 seconds. Add ¼ cup water, reduce the heat back to medium, and cook, stirring frequently until most of the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes. Taste and adjust salt, if necessary. Turn off heat and cover to keep warm.
To prepare the beans, place 3 tablespoons of the aquafaba or liquid from the can in a microwave safe bowl. Drain the black beans, rinsing them well, and transfer to the bowl with the aquafaba along with the cumin and the remaining ¾ teaspoon Surya Salt or ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Microwave on high until warmed through, 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the wattage of your microwave. Using a fork or potato masher, mash the means into a coarse paste. You want the mixture to be thick and spreadable, but if it is too thick, you can add 1 tablespoon of hot water at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt, if necessary.
To make the sauce, place the sour cream, avocado, cilantro, serrano pepper, lime zest, lime juice, garlic powder, and salt in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt, if necessary. Transfer to a small bowl. (If using later, cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the sauce, and refrigerate until ready to use.)
To assemble, place one burrito-size tortilla on your work surface and top with ¼ of the paneer mixture, spread it into the size of your tostada shell. Take the tostada shell and spread with a thin layer of the black beans, then flip it over so the black bean side is on the bottom against the paneer. Spread a couple tablespoons of the avocado-cilantro crema in an even layer across the top of the tostada shell, then top with a handful of iceberg lettuce, some diced tomatoes, and ¼ cup grated Mexican cheese blend. Starting with one side, fold the tortilla inward, creating a closed pentagon. If the tortilla is too small, you can place a small, soft taco-size flour tortilla in the center to make sure the crunch wrap is fully sealed. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to create a total of 4 crunchwraps.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and place one crunchwrap seal side-down in the pan, and cook until light golden, 1 to 3 minutes. Flip and repeat on the other side. Repeat the toasting process with the remaining assembled crunchwraps. Serve with any extra avocado-cilantro crema for dipping, plus your favorite hot sauce.