I just ate a can of beans.

How could I, or why would I, eat a can of beans? Won't there be side effects to go with all those health benefits? To paraphrase Brandi, Yourmother's sister, I'm about to become a natural resource. But in the end, I'm a step closer to achieving a long time goal: the recreation of the black bean dip at Kaya, also served at Mad Mex, a small chain of Tex-Mex places in Pittsburgh.

What makes the dip so good and addictive is its alluring and elusive blend of spices, warmed into a pool of dip-able mashed beans with melted cheese on top. This isn't the first attempt at making this dish that I've been involved in. Several years ago, Chef Phateline and I took a swing at it with mixed results. Too much chili oil, maybe not enough cumin, but overall not too bad. After trying the real deal again recently, I figured it can't be too complicated. This is a restaurant pumping out dozens of pounds of this stuff daily. Maybe it's this:

Black Bean Dip, Kaya Style, v1.5

1 can black beans
2 tsp chili powder (regular old McCormick or similar)
1/2 tsp salt or more to taste
1-3 tsp hot sauce, to taste
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2-1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or jack, chihuahua if you have it)

Put everything except the cheese into a food processor or chopper. Whip it up until it's just getting creamy. Spread it into a shallow baking dish that will give it a depth of about 3/4 inch. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 400 F until the cheese is nicely melted. Serve with tortilla chips.

In retrospect, I probably would have made it a little spicier, maybe a little saltier, and it could have used maybe a little more cumin. Garlic powder or onion powder would be an interesting addition. Or maybe it's equal parts chili powder, adobo seasoning, and hot sauce. Go nuts. Let me know what you find out.