Freshly fried, plucked from a grocery store steam table, or baked from frozen, a samosa is a thing of joy. With spiced potatoes ensconced in crisp pastry, what’s not to love? These quesadillas translate the flavor of the triangular treat into a weeknight-friendly dinner—with no deep-frying involved. Crisped in a modest amount of oil, whole wheat tortillas take on an almost-fried aura. The fistful of cheese stuffed inside each quesadilla doesn’t hurt either.
What you’ll need
S&B Curry Powder
$7 At Amazon
Vegetable Peeler
$12 $10 At Amazon
Dutch Oven
$133 $80 At Amazon
Large Nonstick Skillet
$50 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
½
1
1
4
8
2
4
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Heat 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a medium Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Add 1 tsp. cumin seeds; cook, stirring often, until fragrant and seeds begin to pop, about 2 minutes. Add ½ medium red onion, finely chopped, 1 serrano chile, finely chopped, one 1" piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes.
Step 2
Add 1 lb. russet potatoes (about 2 large), peeled, cut into ½" cubes, 1 Tbsp. curry powder, and 1½ cups water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a simmer, until potatoes are tender and water is mostly absorbed, 15–20 minutes. If pot looks dry but potatoes are still firm, add up to ¼ cup additional water and continue to cook until tender. Conversely, if potatoes are soft but a lot of liquid remains, uncover and cook, stirring often, until water evaporates. (Potatoes will fall apart during cooking.)
Step 3
Remove from heat and stir in ½ bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems only, coarsely chopped, 1 cup frozen peas, preferably baby, and 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, smashing potatoes into a chunky purée. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
Step 4
Lay out four 8"–10" whole wheat tortillas on a work surface. Scatter 8 oz. pepper jack cheese or sharp white cheddar, coarsely grated (about 2 cups), over tortillas, covering evenly. Divide potato filling among tortillas, spooning over one side. Fold tortillas up and over filling to make half-moons; pat to flatten slightly.
Step 5
Heat 1 tsp. vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Place 2 samosa-dillas in pan and cook, turning halfway through, until tortillas are golden and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. Repeat with remaining 1 tsp. vegetable oil and remaining 2 samosa-dillas. Cut samosa-dillas into wedges and transfer to plates.
Step 6
Toss 2 mini seedless or Persian cucumbers, quartered lengthwise, sliced ¼" thick on a deep diagonal, 4 oz. cherry tomatoes (about 1 cup), halved, and ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced, in a medium bowl. Drizzle generously with lime juice and season with a large pinch of salt; toss to coat. Spoon some salad alongside each samosa-dilla.