Butter Chicken Quesadillas

Quesadillas is a dish which is mexican in origin and derives its name from the spanish word for cheese (Queso). Don't let the name fool you, its a simple corn or flour tortilla filled with cheese and other ingredients, which are generally savory in nature and then folded in half (into a half moon shape). This filled mixture is then toasted or fried until the cheese melts. It is then cut into wedges or slices and served.

Quesadillas have undergone a lot of changes throughout history and numerous variations exist not only in different parts of the world, but even in different parts of Mexico.

Purists differentiate between a quesadilla froma taco or burrito by stating that in a quesadilla, the ingredients are filled and then it is cooked, whereas for the taco or burrito the ingredients are cooked before and then added.

I just added my own twist to the variations by bringing in an Indian angle to the quesadilla, and though, my ingredients for the filling were cooked before, I still prefer to call it a Quesadilla. It is a little more time consuming to make, however, it is a very good recipe if you are out to impress and the look and compliments make up for the time spent preparing this. For starters, I have used Chilla (Indian chickpea flour pancake), instead of the flour or corn tortilla. Since you do not get Chillas in the marketplace of the shelves (as you would in the case of tortillas), this will require preparation. Also, you need to ensure the chillas prepared are thin, else they will break once filled and folded. The filling being used is the traditional butter chicken with a thick gravy and Monterrey Jack cheese. Butter Chicken requires grilling chicken first and then cooking in a tomato based gravy.

This requires both time and rolling up your sleeves, but then this is a show stealer and a damn good one at that.

Butter Chicken Quesadillas

4 Portions ( 9 wedges)

Ingredients:

Chillas - 3 No.s (Check recipe here. make the chillas thin)

Butter Chicken - 250 gms

Cheese, grated - 2 Cups

Oil - 4 Tblsp

Method:

1. Prepare Butter Chicken as given here. The only variations to the preparation are as follows:

- After grilling the chicken pieces, cut them into small 2 cm pieces.

- Simmer sauce before addition of cream and kasoori methi, till sauce almost coats the chicken pieces. Reduce cream to quarter.

2. Take each chilla and lay it flat on the working surface.

3. Spread the thick butter chicken mixture on one semi circular side of the chilla.

4. Sprinkle grated cheese on that side on top of the butter chicken mixture.

5. Fold the other plain side to cover the fully and form a folded semi circle. Press lightly.

6. Heat a flat plate/tawa and add 2 teaspoons of oil.

7. Add the semi folded chilla with the stuffing and cook lightly. Flip it over to cook the other side.

8. The cheese will melt and bind the 2 halves of the chilla.

9. Take off the hot plate/tawa and cut into 3 wedges (or 2 as you desire).

10. Repeat with remaining chillas.

11. Serve hot with your choice of dip or sauce.

Posted in: Appetizer,Butter Chicken,cheese,Chicken,Chicken recipe,Chickpeas,Chilla,Fusion Cuisine,Murgh,Quesadilla,Savory,snack