Samosa

Samosa

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Serves: 6

Samosas have become quite popular in many countries with Indian population. This delicious snack is sold on streets all over India. In US it's available freshly made and frozen in most Indian grocery stores. My cousin, Vibha, runs a catering business in India and this is her recipe. While making samosa at home, you do not need to finely mash potatoes for filling and the filling can be made in advance.
Ingredients
For dough:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ajwain seeds
  • Water as needed
For filling:
  • 2 russet potatoes, boiled and mashed
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for frying
  • ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon ajwain seeds
  • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano chili, finely minced
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon sanchar (black salt)
  • ½ teaspoon chaat masala or juice of ½ a lemon
  • ½ cup frozen green peas, thawed
  • ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
  • Salt
Directions
  1. Make the dough: Combine flour, salt, ajwain seeds, oil and shortening in a medium mixing bowl and mix it with hands. Gradually add water while mixing and kneading until it makes soft and smooth dough. Cover the dough with a plate or a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes to one hour.
  2. Make the filling: In a wok or a frying pan heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium high heat until simmering. Add all the seeds and let them sizzle. Add green chili, ginger and sauté them for 30 seconds. Add mashed potatoes, garam masala, chaat masala or lemon juice and black salt. Stir everything to combine spices with mashed potatoes. Let the mixture cook on low heat for 2 minutes.
  3. Add peas and cilantro. Stir to combine and let the filling cook for 1 more minute. Taste the filling for salt as black salt and chaat masala are quite salty. Add salt if needed. Let the filling cool for 20 to 30 minutes.
  4. Make samosas: Divide the dough into 20 or so equal parts. Roll into balls and cover with a plate or a towel. Take one ball of dough and roll out into about 6 inch circle. Cut the circle in half. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling in the middle of half circle, leaving about ¼ inch space on the round side. Pick corner of flat side and cover the filling. Pick another corner of flat side and cover the dough with filling. Press gently to seal dough over the filling. It should make a triangle. Pinch together round side of dough and the corner. Cover the prepared samosa with a towel. Repeat the process with remaining dough balls and filling.
  5. Heat oil in frying pan until ready for frying. Drop 4 to 5 samosa in hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oil and drain excess oil on a paper towel lined plate.
  6. Fry remaining samosa same way. Serve warm with cilantro chutney and tamarind and date chutney.

 

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Sev Usal

Sev Usal

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Serves: 4

Dried green peas soup with crispy thin chick pea flour noodles
Ingredients
  • 1 ½ cups dried green pea
  • 2 jalapeno or serrano chilies, finely minced
  • 1 ½ inch piece of ginger, finely minced
  • 2 sprigs of mint
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon dhana-jeeru (spice blend of ground coriander and cumin)
  • 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
  • Small (golf ball size) piece of jaggary or 3 teaspoons sugar (optional)
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro, for garnish
  • 1 cup thin sev (crispy chickpea flour noodles), for serving, See Note.
  • ½ cup tamarind-date chutney, for serving
  • ½ cup cilantro chutney, for serving
  • Water as needed
  • For Vaghar (tempering):
  • 3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 medium sized red onion, finely diced (reserve half for serving)
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
Directions
  1. Pick through peas to remove any impurities and soak them in 3 cups of water for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
  2. Remove excess water to keep just enough water to cover peas. Cook in a medium sized Dutch oven or soup pot with cover until peas are tender, about 45 minutes.
  3. Uncover, add mint sprigs, green chilies, ginger, turmeric, dhana-jeeru, salt and jiggery or sugar. Let it simmer while you prepare vaghar.
  4. Prepare Vaghar: In a small heavy bottomed pot, heat oil until shimmers. Add cumin and mustard seeds and let them sizzle. Add garlic and sauté it for 30 seconds. Add half of chopped onion, garam masala, and chili powder and sauté them until onion is light golden brown. Pour over simmering peas (usal). Stir the peas to blend spices.
  5. Let peas simmer for 10-12 minutes. Add lemon juice and let it simmer for 5 more minutes. If usal is too thick add some water. Remove mint sprigs. Garnish with cilantro.
  6. To cook usal in Instant Pot: Follow step 1. You can omit soaking pea but it will speed up cooking process. Set instant pot to sauté setting for 30 minutes. Once hot, heat oil until shimmers. Add cumin and mustard seeds and let them sizzle. Add garlic and sauté it for 30 seconds. Add half of chopped onion, garam masala, and chili powder and sauté them until onion is light golden brown. Drain peas and add them to pot and cover with water. Add mint sprigs, green chilies, ginger, turmeric, dhana-jeeru, and salt. Set instant pot to pressure cook and set time for 30 minutes. For unsoaked peas increase time to 50 minutes. Once peas are cooked, release steam, uncover and set to sauté setting for 15 minutes. Remove mint sprigs, and add jiggery or sugar and lemon juice. Let peas simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
  7. To serve: Pour hot usal in a soup bowl, spread about ¼ cup of sev on top. Top with tamarind-date chutney and cilantro chutney. Garnish with about teaspoon of chopped red onion. Usal can be served as an appetizer or lunch as a soup.
Notes
Thin sev is readily available in Indian grocery stores.

 

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Flower Bataka Vatana nu Shaak

Flower Bataka Vatana nu Shaak

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Serves: 6

Cauliflower Potato Peas
Ingredients
  • 1 medium size flower (cauliflower), cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 medium size batako (potato), cut into ½ inch cubes
  • ½ cup vatana (green peas), frozen or fresh
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon asafetida
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons dhana-jeeru (spice blend of coriander and cumin powder)
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro for garnish
Directions
  1. In a wok or a frying pan heat the oil until shimmering. Add mustard seeds and let them sizzle. Add asafetida, turmeric and chili powder. Add cauliflower, potatoes and season with salt. Stir vegetables until they are coated with oil and spices.
  2. Cover the pan with a lid and let the vegetables cook until fork tender, stirring occasionslly, about 10 to 12 minutes. During half way of cooking, add green peas.
  3. Once vegetables are cooked, uncover, add dhana-jeeru. Stir and let vegetables cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Just before serving garnish with cilantro. Serve warm with any type of Indian flat bread.

 

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