Curried Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Living in Ghana required a different mindset while shopping.  When you see something you like in the grocery store, you buy it right then-and-there, and you buy as many as you will use before they expire.  Because you won't see that brand of cheese, that color of lentil, that variety of chili pepper, for the next 3 months - minimum.  

A year and a half isn't too long to live somewhere, but it's long enough for that mindset to pervade every shopping trip for a long time.  Three months away from Accra and I still have to stop myself from buying every sweater that fits "because it won't be there when I come back."  Even if it's not good quality or doesn't look great on me.

Meanwhile, in the grocery store, I see beautiful orange sweet potatoes.  Ghana gave me a sore spot about sweet potatoes.  I saw them in the store, bought a few, and started finding great sweet-potato recipes.  By the next time I went shopping, the sweet potatoes were already gone.  And I never saw them again in Accra.  But they are here!  All over the place!  So last week, I finally bought a bunch and cooked with them.  And every time I go into the store, I take a look just to make sure they're still around.  Yes, they are.  Hello, sweet potatoes.  I'll be seeing more of you.

 This recipe.  Oh, this gorgeous recipe.  Bright, healthy, vegetarian, filling, fusion-licious, cheesy and beany.  Perfect.

Curried Sweet Potato Quesadillas

adapted from Big Girls, Small Kitchen

serves 4 (makes 8 quesadillas)

prep time: 45 minutes (including boiling & peeling the sweet potatoes)

cook time: 10 minutes

ingredients:

2 ½ lb (1.1 kg) sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 tbsp curry powder (can adjust to taste and spiciness)
½ lime, juiced
2 tbsp cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup cooked black beans
salt
cayenne pepper, optional and to taste
240g cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
8 tortillas

directions:

Boil the sweet potatoes in salt water until fork-tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain in a colander, and rinse with cold water until cool enough to handle.  Cut into smallish pieces.

In a medium bowl, mix the sweet potatoes with curry powder, lime juice & cilantro.  Taste and season with salt, pepper and cayenne.  Stir in the black beans.  Preheat the oven broiler.

On a flat surface, assemble the quesadillas.  Lay a tortilla flat.  Spread cheese on half of the tortilla.  Spoon 2-3 tbsp of potato mixture on top, and sprinkle with as much cheese as you see fit.

Fold the tortillas and press to make sure they'll stay folded.  Place on a cookie sheet and heat under the broiler for about 5 minutes per side, until the tortillas are golden-brown and the cheese is melted.

Serve with sour cream and salsa, of course, plus guac if you got it.