serves 2 to 4
Southern India meets Mexico in this dosa-quesadilla hybrid I created one day when I was craving the fabulous dosas made at my local Indian restaurant. Using what I had on hand, I came amazingly close to the flavor of authentic dosas with a minimum of effort. Although this recipe is in the sandwich chapter, it makes a satisfying dinner entrée as well. If you have some leftover cooked veggies that you’d like to use instead of the peas, chop them and mix them in with the potatoes. Use hot or mild curry paste or powder, according to taste.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced scallions or onion
2 cups mashed potatoes (see Note)
½ cup frozen baby peas, thawed
1½ teaspoons curry paste or powder,
plus additional to taste
4 large whole wheat tortillas
Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the scallions and cook until softened. Add the potatoes, peas, and curry paste and cook until well mixed and hot. If you like spicy food, add a little more curry to taste.
Divide the mixture evenly over half of each of the tortillas. Fold the tortillas over and place them, two at a time, in a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cook, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides. Keep them warm while you cook the remaining dosadillas. Serve them whole to be cut with a knife and fork, or cut them into wedges to eat out of hand.
note: The mashed potatoes can come from a variety of sources: You can plan ahead and make extra baked or mashed potatoes for dinner the night before, putting the extra aside for this recipe. If there was ever a reason to make extra potatoes, this is it.
If you don’t have cooked potatoes on hand, you can quickly microwave some and then simply mash them with a potato masher, adding salt and pepper and a little margarine. In a pinch, instant mashed potatoes can also be used (the prominent curry flavor of the filling masks the “instant potato” taste).