Vegetable Thepla Quesadilla

I bet most of y’all have that one person in life who is a passionate sports fan be it American football, basketball soccer or any game that one can think of. This person will move heaven and earth to watch the big game in the sport they love. More often than not this habit is going to get you in plenty of trouble. (The sports fans know what I mean.. LAUGHS!!!). But these times can also be the inspiration for creative and delectable recipes like this “VEGETABLE THEPLA QUESADILLA”. Now y’all didn’t expect that curveball??? RIGHT!!!.

Some may think that I may have lost my senses for the crazy things I just said. But hear me out just a bit!!! First things first; I do not have to go far for the sports fanatic that I was talking about because I am one (CHUCKLES!!). My two favorite sports ever since I was growing up remain cricket and tennis. I have pretty much done everything a passionate sports lover does for the love of his favorite sport. Examples include staying awake all night, skipping work/ messing up at work, calling in sick etc, etc. I am sure y’all get the picture (LAUGHS!!!)

For the past two weeks its been the Australian Open Tennis Championship in Melbourne that’s been the source of my problems at work (LAUGHS!!).. The time difference between the US and Australia is more than 12 hours so most of the good matches begin pretty much in the middle of the night.  That automatically means an utter lack of sleep and plenty of late night cravings for food.

It is precisely these cravings that were the inspiration for this Vegetable Thepla Quesadilla recipe.  It was 3.30 am Wednesday morning when I went in the kitchen during a break in the match that I was watching. All I found were leftovers from the day before; a mix vegetable stirfry as well as theplas, which can be called indian style spicy tortillas made from whole wheat. This was one of those AHA moments when I decided to fill up those theplas with the veggie stir-fry and make vegetable thepla quesadillas.

I loved them so much that I absolutely had to remake them this weekend for the big championship finale happening DOWN UNDER!!!.

Let us begin making the theplas which have been and still are a big hit in my home state in India. These are basically flatbreads made up of wheat flour with a few spices mixed in for added flavor. Since my filling was going to be a spicy stir fry of mixed veggies I added carrots to my thepla dough to balance out the dish.

Combine grated carrots, chopped coriander leaves, whole wheat flour, red chili powder, garlic, carom seeds, salt, oil in a bowl and mix well. Add warm water little at a time. Mix and knead slowly to form a smooth and soft dough. Divide the dough in equal parts. 

Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. On a floured surface, roll out each portion into a thin circle using rolling pin. Apply oil on the skillet and place the rolled thepla on the skillet. When tiny bubbles appear on the top, spread oil and flip. Cook till pale golden brown spots appear on both sides. Remove from pan and keep in a covered container.

For the filling heat oil in a pan and then add cumin, fennel as well as poppy seeds. When the seeds splutter add onions and ginger-garlic paste. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato puree, red chili powder, coriander powder and sauté till oil starts separating. 

Add carrots, capsicum, cauliflower and peas in that order. Cover and cook until soft. Drizzle in a little water if required. Finally add the cooked potatoes. Sprinkle goda masala and cook for 3-4 minutes. Goda masala can be easily replaced by garam masala for a similarly delicious flavor. Season with salt and lemon juice. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Preheat the griddle over medium heat. Spread the vegetable mixture on the bottom half of the thepla. Do not over stuff. Sprinkle any cheese of your choice.

Fold the other half over the filling and press down to close. Spray cooking oil on the griddle. Grill the quesadilla on both sides until grill marks appear and cheese has melted. Cut each quesadilla in half and serve. Enjoy these Vegetable Thepla Quesadilla and tell me when you are in food heaven!!!

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Vegetable Thepla Quesadilla

Rahul

These spiced Thepla Quesadillas are loaded with fresh vegetables and gooey, melted cheese.

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Ingredients

  

Thepla

• 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 3 Carrots grated
• 5 sprigs Coriander finely chopped
• ½ tsp Carom Seeds
• ½ tsp Red Chili Powder
• 2 Garlic cloves minced
• 2 tsp Oil
• Salt as per taste
• Warm Water as required

Filling

• 3 Carrots cut into strips
• ¼ th Cauliflower cut into florets
• 2 Capsicum cut into strips
• ½ cup Green Peas
• 2 Potatoes diced & boiled
• ½ big Onion chopped
• 2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 cup Tomato puree
• 1½ tsp Red Chili Powder
• 1½ tsp Coriander Powder
• 1½ tsp Goda Masala/Garam Masala

Instructions

 

Thepla

• Combine grated carrots, chopped coriander leaves, whole wheat flour, red chili powder, garlic, carom seeds, salt, oil in a bowl and mix well.
• Add warm water little at a time. Mix and knead slowly to form a smooth and soft dough. Divide the dough in equal parts.
• Preheat the skillet over medium heat.
• On a floured surface, roll out each portion into a thin circle using rolling pin.
• Apply oil on the skillet and place the rolled thepla on the skillet. When tiny bubbles appear on the top, spread oil and flip. Cook till pale golden brown spots appear on both sides.
• Remove from pan and keep in a covered container.

Filling

• Heat oil in a pan and then add cumin seeds, fennels seeds as well as poppy seeds. When the seeds splutter add onions and ginger-garlic paste. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add tomato puree, red chili powder, coriander powder and sauté till oil starts separating.
• Add carrots, capsicum, cauliflower and peas in that order. Cover and cook until soft. Add water if required.
• Finally add the cooked potatoes. Sprinkle goda masala and cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Season with salt and lemon juice. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Assembly

• Preheat the griddle over medium heat.
• Spread the vegetable mixture on the bottom half of the thepla. Do not over stuff. Sprinkle any cheese of your choice. Fold the other half over the filling and press down to close.
• Spray cooking oil on the griddle. Grill the quesadilla on both sides until grill marks appear and cheese has melted.
• Cut each quesadilla in half and serve.

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