Quesadilla

I have a soft corner for Mexican cuisine. Somedays, I crave a perfect burrito or quesadilla or even a taco maybe. Strangely, I haven’t been to any Mexican restaurant in my life, yet my knowledge about the food is limited to what I have cooked using some cookbooks ( I love collecting them) and from google. I find this Mexican dish adaptable to an Indian food palate. It’s not an authentic recipe but something I adapted to suit my taste buds. My version is vegan too!

Ingredients

  • Serves 3
  • For the Whole Wheat Tortilla
  • 1 Cup Atta/Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1 Tsp Salt
  • 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 Tbsp Oil
  • Water (as required)
  • For the Veggie Filling
  • 1 Medium Onion
  • 6-7 Garlic Cloves
  • 1 Small Capsicum
  • 1/4 Cup Cabbage
  • 2 Green Chilies
  • 4 Baby Potatoes
  • Salt & Pepper to Taste
  • Cajun Seasoning
  • Onion Powder
  • Lemon Juice
  • Coriander Leaves

Preparation

Prep: 20 minutes
Cooking: 40 minutes


  1. For the tortilla, knead a soft but stiff and pliable dough. Divide it into small balls of equal portions. Cover them with a tea towel and let it rest for 15 minutes.
  2. Roll out thin tortillas and half cook on medium heat. Remove and keep it hot, wrapped or covered with a tea towel until using them.
  3. For the filling, wash and scrub the baby potatoes, cut into small cubes or slices and roast it drizzled with some olive oil and salt till cooked. Keep aside.
  4. Heat oil in a pan and add finely chopped garlic and green chillies. Sauté! To this, add finely chopped onionS and sauté till translucent (not caramelized) but amber colour.
  5. Chop all the veggies very finely using grater or chopper. Now add remaining veggies and potatoes along with all the dry seasonings. Sauté till everything is mixed evenly and cooked on low flame for 4-5 minutes.
  6. Drizzle the lemon juice and sprinkle 2 tbsp of water. Cover and cook till the water is absorbed. Finally, add chopped coriander before switching off the flame.
  7. To assemble, heat a pan on medium heat. Keep the half-cooked tortilla on it and spread cheese sauce or any sauce/chutney you like and add the filling. Fold this in half and drizzle a tbsp of oil so that the tortilla crisps up. Once crisp from the bottom, cook till crispy on the other side too.
  8. Cut and serve with sauce/dip.
  9. For the spices or seasoning, I would ask you to keep tasting and adding as I haven’t measured them but added on the go. If you are not vegan, you can use any cheese. This is called a half Quesadilla in which the tortilla is folded into a half-moon shape. I have served it with a lemon tossed jowar and mango salsa and some cilantro dip.

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