Samosas – the quick and easy way

Mom taught me how to make samosas from scratch when I was a kid. That meant making the samosa dough as well. It was a family affair when all my aunts, sisters, myself and Mom would be making samosas and other delicious goodies just before Eid - normally the night the new moon was sighted. 


We live in busy times now so here is a quick and easy way of making some spicy tasty samosas that will melt in your mouth! Of course as usual I have put my stamp on it and even though its no match to Mum's cooking, it does hold its own and you can make petite ones or giant ones (best baked) based on who you want to impress!


Preparation 30 minutes                                
Cooking: 15-20 minutes oven/5 minutes frying
Serves 6-8

Ingredients

Here's some I made earlier!

4 large white potatoes, peeled, boiled & mashed
½ cup boiled & drained green peas
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp curry powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp garam masala
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 tbsp mint sauce

4 spring onions finely chopped

1 packet filo pastry (you may need two)

Oil for deep frying the samosas (if not baking in oven)
1 small bowl of melted butter or flour paste (if frying)

Method

• Put the potatoes, peas, onion & spices along with tomato paste, mustard, spring onion and mint sauce in a pan and mix well.
• Now cut the filo sheets in half and put a damp cloth over to stop from drying out. They will be rectangular in shape.
• Lay each cut sheet out and place a heaped tablespoon on the long end of the sheet.
• Fold over to one end and keep folding into a triangle.
• If baking in oven - seal the ends with melted butter and keep aside on a tray. Make the rest the same way.
• Place on baking trays next to each other - give a light egg wash and bake in oven 200 C for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• If frying, seal each samosa with flour paste which is just four and water mixed till you get a wet glue like consistency.
• Heat vegetable oil in a wok. When the oil is very hot put 2 samosas in. Remove when crisp and brown.Drain on kitchen towel to take excess oil out.
• Eat while still warm with mint raita dip & tomato chutney.

Chicken Korma

Here is another recipe I have nicked from my Mom! I love the taste as it is mild but also has a sweet & sour taste when fried onions are mixed with yoghurt. As usual, I have tweaked the recipe so Mom don't panic - most of it is the way you make it!

Preparation & Cooking: 45 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/4 cup oil

5 medium onions very thinly sliced 
4 cardamom pods
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
8 cloves
10 whole black peppers

2 tablespoon garlic/ginger paste

1 pinch nutmeg

1 kg chicken pieces (boneless breast pieces preferred)

5 tablespoon Greek yoghurt

Salt to taste
1 tablespoon rose essence 

1 teaspoon saffron (soak in rose water)

1 bunch fresh coriander roughly chopped

Method

• Heat oil in a large pan and fry onions in medium heat till golden brown. Remove the fried onion from the oil and drain on kitchen towel.
• Add all the spices (except nutmeg) and garlic/ginger paste to the oil and add a little water to prevent burning. Mix well and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and cook for a couple of minutes on high heat. This will seal the chicken and retain moisture.
• Add a cup of water, or as much as needed, and cover the pan. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.
• In the meantime crush the fried onions and mix with yoghurt, add to the chicken curry. Mix well, cover and cook on low to medium heat till the chicken is done. Add a little water if the gravy is too dry. Check seasoning and add salt to taste if needed.
• Just before taking off the heat, add nutmeg and saffron soaked rose water. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with rice or flat bread.

Who would have thought ....

I am now the proud owner of a book about a 1000 uses of vinegar! Not only can you consume the stuff it helps to clean, disinfect as well as be part of self medication! Enough said!

Nargisi or Shahi Kofta

Been away from the kitchen for a few days - well, it was my birthday!

These tasty treats take a little time to make however they are a real treat and worth the time and effort that goes into making the “Royal” dish, as we used to call the koftas (scotch egg curry for the non Asian eaters) due to the name.

Preparation & Cooking 2 hours + overnight soaking

Serves 6-8

Ingredients
1 kg meat cut into cubes
half cup chana daal (lentil) soaked in water overnight
2 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon poppy seed
4 medium onions finely chopped
2 tablespoon peanut paste
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 table spoon garlic and ginger paste
2 tablespoon vegetable oil (for curry)
enough oil to deep fry egg koftas
salt to taste
½ teaspoon saffron soaked in 1 tablespoon rose water
10 eggs hard boiled and shelled
1 egg beaten
1 large bunch coriander finely chopped
4 green chillies

Method

• First boil the meat cubes in 2 cups of water. When meat has boiled for 5 minutes, put the chana daal, pinch of salt & 1 teaspoon garam masala and mix well.
• Cook in a medium heat until the meat and chana dal is fully cooked and water has dried. Let it cool for 10 minutes, then mix 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds in the meat and grind into a mince.
• Mix the beaten egg into the ground meat. This will help to bind when you are wrapping the meat mix around the eggs.
• Chill the mince mix in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up. Mix half the chopped coriander and then divide the mix into 10 parts.
• Now comes the fun bit. Flatten each mince mix to a patty shape, wrap around an egg and then gently fold the mixture until the whole egg is covered. Press to ensure there are no air pockets. Think scotch egg!
• Deep fry the wrapped eggs until light brown. Drain on kitchen paper and when slightly cooled (do not let it become cold) halve all the egg koftas.
• Put the halved egg koftas in the curry sauce, add rest of coriander and whole chillies, then simmer for 15 minutes before serving with plain rice and raita.

Curry

• Put oil in the pan and fry the chopped onions until golden brown. Add ginger/garlic paste, turmeric, cumin & chilli powder along with 1 teaspoon garam masala & peanut paste and cook on medium heat till the powder smell disappear and you have a thick gravy.
• Add half cup water and cook until it boils, reduce heat and add the rosewater/saffron mix in the gravy and mix well. Check seasoning before adding the egg koftas.

Note

If you do not have a large pan to accommodate all 20 egg halves then once the curry is made, pour half in a large baking dish, add the eggs and pour the rest of curry on top, add coriander and whole chillies. Bake in a very slow oven for 15 to 20 minutes. You will know the dish is cooked when some oil rises to the top of the dish.