This savory dish is a mashup of two comfort foods from very different parts of the world: quesadillas, a Mexican classic, and rajma curry, a bean and tomato dish popular in northern India.
Interestingly, the two cuisines have a connection. Red kidney beans (rajma in Hindi) are native to Mexico, but centuries ago they made their way to the Indian subcontinent, where they became a staple.
Here, the beans are simmered with tomato, ginger, cilantro, onions, and garlic, then sandwiched between two wheat tortillas with plenty of melty cheddar. The result? A hearty, irresistible fusion meal.
Unlike a traditional refried bean quesadilla, this version uses rajma curry: a tomato-based kidney bean dish popular in North Indian homes.
Ingredients
- 2 large wheat tortillasĀ (I used homemade whole wheat tortillas)
- 1/2 cup rajma curry (traditional recipe here. See directions below for improvising with garlic, ginger, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and salt)
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheeseĀ
Directions
- Prepare rajma curry, using the recipe link above. To improvise: simmer canned kidney beans (or pre-cook dried beans) in a saucepan with desired quantities of oil, minced garlic, finely chopped onions, diced tomatoes, grated ginger, chopped cilantro, and salt until a stew-like texture forms.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place tortilla on a lightly greased baking sheet. Spread rajma curry evenly over the surface.
- Evenly sprinkle on grated cheddar. Place second tortilla on top to form a sandwich.
- Bake for around 20 minutes, until cheese has fully melted. For a delicious crisp-around-the edges quesadilla: after 10 minutes, cut the quesadilla in half, then return to oven to bake for remaining 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, slice into triangles. These are best served immediately.
Leave a Reply