Mulberry season hits around this time, and when your hands are tinged beautifully with these purple indigo juices, something beautiful has to come of it!
First I made a little sauce with half the mulberries that came my way. A simple coulis with a bit of sugar and salt and some water, simmered down to a thick and chunky sauce. Initially I was planning some kind of cool dessert. But then a luscious crate of mangoes made it’s way towards me and I felt the urge to do something “exponential”.
Whole mulberries and mangoes diced and brought together with some bright green spring onions and coriander and some heated kick from jalapenos and chilli flakes sounded like a good idea to me. Normally one would use a bit of lemon juice, but because I love spice, I instead use the brine liquid from the jalapeno bottle. This adds the citric sourness but is infused with the jalapeno hot seeds. At the last minute I added some cheese too – nothing fancy, but good ol’ Amul cheese to bring in some saltiness and of course, bind everything together.
This quesadilla will surprise your eaters and the infusion of the senses creates fireworks in the mouth. You don’t need any accompaniments to this quesadilla – the mulberry sauce adds enough juiciness and there are enough flavours to let it stand on its own.
Note: You can use whole wheat rotis/chapattis for a healthier and easier version.
Photography Credits: You will, no doubt, notice these breathtaking pictures. Yes, you guessed it right, I had a talented young lady come in to take these for me. You can read more about her at: www.krishnalalbhai.squarespace.com/
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The Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 8 Tortillas
- 1 1/2 cup Mangoes, finely diced
- 1 cup Mulberries, chopped
- 1/2 cup Spring onions, finely chopped
- 4-5 slices Jalapenos
- 1 tsp Lemon juice or jalapeno bottle brine
- 1/2 tsp Chilli flakes (optional)
- 2 tbsp Coriander
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Mulberry Sauce
- 1/2 cup Shredded cheese
- 3/4 cup Mulberries
- 2 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Water
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients together in a saucepan and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
- With the back of a fork, press down the fruit to squash and release the juices.
- Cook for another 5 minutes before removing from heat and set as die to cool completely before use or storing in an airtight jar in the fridge.
- Stir the mangoes, mulberries, spring onions, coriander, jalapenos, chilli flakes, salt and lemon juice together. Gently push the fruits together with the back of a fork to squeeze out some of the juices.
- Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
- To prepare the quesadillas, first place a non stick pan on high heat.
- Smoothen out some mulberry sauce first on one tortilla and then add the mango and mulberry filling and some cheese. Cover with the second tortilla.
- Place the quesadilla on the hot pan and grill for 3 minutes on each side.
- Cut the quesadilla with a pizza roller into 4 pieces and serve hot.
