October 30, 2006

Potato Quesadillas Or is it Baked Samosas?


Ever since I started making quesadillas at home,the possibilities seem endless. Quesadilla literally means "little cheesy thing" and is a tortilla folded over shredded cheese and toasted till brown. It may also include cooked meat and/or peppers. So what is a tortilla? Simply put, its a flour or "maida" roti/chapathi. Our samosa is built similarly as that too has a layered flour cover with a spicy filling inside (now available with even cheese inside)but it is deep fried in oil to give it its characteristic flaky crust. Quite like the crispy fried taquitos called tacos dorados ("golden tacos") or flautas ("flutes"). (My son likes the tortilla filled with cheese and spicy sauce and deep fried.)
So is there a baked version of the samosa yet? Or a potato version of the quesadilla?
I tried it in the morning for breakfast with some leftover samosa filling and tortillas as I had run out of bread. When it is hot, it is crispy and crunchy with the spicy filling,and good even as an on the go breakfast. The deep fried purists (ha ha) may scoff, but it is definitely healthier and easier as an alternative whether its for snacking or a quick bite. I wouldn't recommend it cold, but then I like all food to be piping hot.
This can be made with any filling, potatoes, scrambled eggs, chicken, mushrooms... The sprinkling of cheese seals the edges together as it melts. The cheese also adds a dimension of gooeyness to make it feel rich and fulfilling.


You will need:

Potato- 1 medium sized one boiled
Onion-1 small one chopped
Frozen Green peas-1/2 cup defrosted
Red chili powder-1/4 tsp
Coriander powder-1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp (toasted and powdered)
Black Pepper-1/4 tsp
Turmeric-1/8 tsp
Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
Cilantro leaves-3 tbsp chopped
Salt-1/4 tsp (to taste)
Lemon Juice-1/2 tsp
Canola/Vegetable oil -1 tbsp
Grated cheese- about 4-5 tbsp
Oil for brushing
6 small tortillas or 2 big tortillas.
Preparation:
1. Heat the oil in a deep skillet and add the onions. Sauté the onions for a few minutes and add the spice powders, stirring further to cook the powder. Add the peas and cook till the peas get cooked, without adding any water. Stir in the chopped potatoes, lemon juice, salt and cilantro leaves. Mix well and take it of the flame. It should be a dry mix. The potatoes should be dry. I normally cook it in the microwave as I can never get it to boil in water and yet be dry on peeling.
2. Heat the quesadilla toaster, brush surface with oil, place one tortilla on one side and spread the filling evenly, leaving space at the edges for it to seal. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of grated cheese or more evenly and place the second tortilla on top. Brush the top surface also with a dab of oil. Close the toaster firmly and let it toast for a minute or two as needed. Cut into wedges and serve warm with chutney of choice.
Non Toaster Option- If you don’t have a tortilla maker, don’t despair. Before I got one, I used to make the quesadillas with my cast iron pan (or skillet). Just brush the tortilla with oil or butter and toast lightly on both sides and keep. Once you have two of them, place one tortilla on the skillet, spread the filling and cheese and cover with the second one. Now press down on the tortillas with something heavy for a minute till the cheese melts and starts sticking. Cook on one side for a minute or two, flip over and repeat till it gets toasty.

This is my entry for For Nandita's Weekend Breakfast Blogging WBB-6 - Twist in the plate.

Other Vegetarian Filling Options:
Mushrooms and cheese; Paneer, scallions and Peppers; Corn and cheese

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27 comments:

Anonymous said...

a nice 'east meets west', recipe.
post some original recipes using tortillas too .
and i hav a request. i need some pasta recipes. a potluck coming up,i'am supposed to take something
'phorin'.
lov
ki

Anonymous said...

Perfect entry. Love your idea of stuffing potatoes in tortillas. After all are'nt potatoes universal.

Krithika said...

Brilliant idea ! Looks delicious. A firangi aloo parantha ??

Pavani said...

Shaheen, those samosas/ quesadillas look delicious. Got to try them soon.

Unknown said...

Hi Shaheen, the picture and the recipe seems very yummy, I am definitly going to give it a try, ....Hey i hope you dont mind, i have added the reference to your link, in my favorite link list. ...Keep up your good work:)

FH said...

Very creative Quesadillas or stuffed samosas.Very different Indian Quesadillas!!:) Hurray to you!!

Priya said...

WOW...that sounds yummy...plain tortillas has borrrreeed me and my roomies soo much that we have stopped buying them lately...Now I have a reason to bring them back to our plates :-)

Anonymous said...

Sorry, but quesadilla doesn't mean "melted cheese" as stated in your post.

മല്ലു ഫിലിംസ് said...

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I am very happy to see your comment.
Please come again!

Nabeela said...

Oh Shaheen, what a great diea! I recently came across how easy and tasty enchiladas are made at home...this is another mexican recipe i'm willing to go along with!

indosungod said...

Shaheen what a wonderful idea, an Indian twist to a favorite Mexican? dish.

Shah cooks said...

Sure Ki..Veg Pasta? Or with meat?

Hema, Potatoes are universal.:)
krithika..i like that.

Pavani, Roopa,Asha, Do try and innovate and let me know how u changed it.No problem linking me, Roopa.

Priya, this is a simple recipe.so open to any filing u like, but it tastes good only toasted.

Anon, Do u have any other meaning?I went by my latino friend's words..:( But checked up and changed it to "cheesy thing".

Mallu films, I enjoyed some of ur videos.:)

Nabeela, Indo,Thanks. Quesadaillas with chicken and mushrooms are the best.

Unknown said...

F A N T A S T I C - need i say anything else....a perfect entry and I'm gonna try this ASAP :)
Thanks Shaheen for this great idea! Round up is up soon!

Brilynn said...

I don't care what you call it, I'll call it very tasty and you can serve me seconds. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

shaheeeeeeeeeeen, how do u cut kopra into small pieces? ouch! I cut my finger! :( This is too hard for a knife.

Meena Kandlakuti said...

nice pictures...thanks for sharing some baked dish..which is healthy too

Bong Mom said...

Hi Shaheen,
nice recipe indeed. Shall try out soon...
--sandeepa

Vani said...

What a neat idea to use tortillas and leftover stuffing!

Anonymous said...

Shaheen, thanks for this healthy idea! A must-try for breakfast, supper, or in between :)

Seema said...

Shaheeen...breakfast time for me...this is sooo tempting...n that potato and peas peeping out are so inviting....
simple one..surely gonna try tis one!

Shah cooks said...

Nandita: thanks!

Brillyn, u could have seconds nad thirds.:)
RP, what are u upto?

Meena, its the baking that attracted me to the quesadilla maker.

Sandeepa, Vani,Thanks and do try.
Seema, Hi there,how was diwali?

Linda, u are right, its a perfect snack.

Sara said...

Hi Shaheen, that quesadilla looks amazing. I just finished lunch and now I am hungry again. I wanted to reply to your comment you left me at WCC. I am sorry, but all the books have already gone out. But thanks for leaving me a comment, if I get another chance like this I'll remember you!

Anonymous said...

Ahh...i missed it....
I love quesadillas. I am surely gonnu try it. thanks shaheen

Shah cooks said...

THANKS Sara, i really missed that one..
Shilpa, u have to try this.

Unknown said...

Originally, in most regions (especially the central region) of Mexico, a quesadilla is a circle of uncooked corn masa folded in half and filled with cheese, then warmed up until the cheese has melted. However, variations include the use of wheat flour tortillas, especially in the northeast part of Mexico, which are more like cheese tacos found in the U.S. Wheat dough is used in place of corn masa in pastes, a preparation typical of the Mexican city of Pachuca, Hidalgo. sportsbook, Quesadillas can be stuffed with ingredients other than just cheese. This stuffings may include: pumpkin flower, sausage, chicken, ham, refried beans, potatoes, mushrooms, scrambled eggs, etc. Salsas can also be added to spice up the flavor. http://www.enterbet.com

Anonymous said...

Hi Shaheen,

Lovely recipe. Could you please let me know which toaster brand u are using for this. The link will be helpful.

Thanks

Shah cooks said...

surekha, i have the santa fe quesadila maker for this.