Channadilla

It’s time we see quesadillas as a more than a cheese filled tortilla; they should be a more abstract idea. A quesadilla is simply a pocket of pure potential, an invitation to insert and cheesify your favorite foods. Hence, the birth of the channadilla, a play on the already popular black bean quesadilla. Indian and Mexican cuisines cross over in so many different ways. Both cuisines like to bring the heat and also use spices such as paprika, coriander, and cumin. Both scream tons of bold flavor. For this dish I took the concept of a Mexican dish but used Naan as the bread and channa masala part of the filling, both Indian. For acidity, I made a salsa verde and pickled onions. First bite reaction: brain was confused yet pleasantly surprised. It’s hard to explain but this dish just makes sense.

** For the channa masala recipe, check my previous recipe post.

Recipe

Serves 4

Quick Pickled Onions

• 1 red onion, sliced
• 3/4 white distilled vinegar
• 1/4 c water
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp sea salt

1. Slice onions perpendicular to the root into rounds. Set in a glass or metal container.
2.  In a pot, mix vinegar of choice, water, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium until simmering and homogenous. Pour over onions.

Salsa Verde

• 1 large jalepeño, halved
• lengthwise
• 1/2 large yellow onion, cut
• into chunks
• 4 tomatillios, halved
• Juice from 1 lime
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat a just a small amount of oil in pan over high heat. Once oil is smoking, add onion, garlic, and tomatillos. Char on all sides.
2. Once onion, garlic, and tomatillos are properly charred, add a half cup of water and cover. Let steam for a few minutes, then uncover and reduce liquid for another minute.
3. Add charred ingredients to a blender with juice of a lime, and cilantro. Blend until desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Naan

• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 c warm water
• 1/4 oz active dry yeast
• 2 1/4 c AP flour
• 1/2 c plain yogurt
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp oil

1. In a small bowl, add the sugar, warm water, and yeast together. Stir to combine well. The yeast should be activated when it becomes foamy, about 10 minutes. Transfer the flour to a flat surface and make a well in the middle. Add the yeast mixture, yoghurt, salt and oil, knead the dough until the surface becomes smooth and shiny, about 10 minutes. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place (for example: beside the stovetop or warm oven). The dough should double in size, about 1 hour.
2. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Roll the dough to a 8” circle using a rolling spin.
3. Heat up a skillet (cast-iron preferred) over high heat and lightly grease the surface with some oil to avoid the dough from sticking to the skillet. Place the dough on the skillet. When it puffs up and bubbles and burnt spots appear, flip it over and cook the other side. Repeat the same until all dough are done.
4. Brush the naan with the melted butter, serve warm (optional for this recipe)

Assembly

• Leftover channa masala
• Monterey jack cheese

1. Mash channa masala into a chunky paste consistency
2. Add a generous layer of shredded Monterey jack on a piece of naan, followed by the channa masala, and desired amounts of salsa verde and pickled onions. If you’re a savage add another layer of cheese.
3. In a lightly buttered nonstick pan, heated over medium, place channadilla and cover. After about 4-5 minutes–the cheese should slightly melted and the first side of the bread crispy–flip. Cover, and repeat.
4. Slice through the middle and enjoy.