Use These 2 Trader Joe's Items For An Easy Mexican And Indian Fusion Meal

Fusion cuisine – the intentional coupling of ingredients, techniques, and inspirations from different cultures — may have sparked various controversies over the years, but it is arguably nothing new. Without the intermingling of French, West African, Native American, and Spanish influences, we wouldn't have Louisiana gumbo, and without the willingness to mash up different culinary traditions, the people of Scotland wouldn't be able to order a haggis pizza. But experimenting with fusion food need not be restricted to the more adventurous kind of restaurants. It can be achieved in your own home using only two items from Trader Joe's — one of the grocery chain's selection of frozen Indian meals, like its butter chicken with basmati rice, and a humble tortilla. 

Arguably, the most successful examples of fusion cuisine are rooted not in novelty or radically divergent combinations of ingredients and flavors, but in discerning common or complementary elements of different cooking styles. With that in mind, the amalgamation of Indian and Mexican cuisine is more obvious than you might think — many recipes from each feature rice prominently, or celebrate the intensity that heat and spice can bring to meat and vegetables. 

Some Trader Joe's customers have already discovered how easily the two traditions can be brought together. After a Reddit user advised making a burrito with Trader Joe's Paneer Tikka Masala, lettuce, cilantro, and sour cream, another enthused, "You've changed my life in an instant."  

When perusing Trader Joe's selection in anticipation of your own Indian-Mexican burrito, there are a few obvious considerations. Pick your filling first — once you've done so, you will be able to better judge whether it would pair well with either a flour or a corn and wheat tortilla, both of which Trader Joe's offers. Then, think about the structure of a traditional burrito — a combination of rice, vegetables, and seasoned meat — and select an Indian meal with a similar makeup. Something like Trader Joe's kitchari or yellow tadka dal, for example, would be too gloopy and soft to make a practical filling, and would almost certainly result in a very leaky burrito. 

Instead, opt for one of the meals that is both more solid and comes with its own rice to help soak up any excess liquidity, such as one of Trader Joe's vindaloos — a good choice for spice-lovers — or the classic chicken tikka masala. If you prefer a vegetarian option, you might rather go for a vegetable biryani or a palak paneer, both of which ranked well in Tasting Table's assessment of Trader Joe's Indian selection. Of course, only you will know best what you want, so if your heart (or your stomach) craves a samosa burrito, who are we to say otherwise?