Baked Samosa with Spinach and Paneer stuffing

Ingredients for outer covering:
1 ½ cup of all purpose flour
⅓ cup of oil
¼ teaspoon of salt
¾ cup of water or enough to make  a stiff dough

Ingredients for filling:
1 bunch of spinach washed and chopped
1 cup paneer
⅓ cup of pine-nuts or any nuts
1 tablespoon of chopped ginger
1 tablespoon of chopped green chili
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1 teaspoon of cumin powder
1 teaspoon of coriander powder
4 tablespoon of oil
1 teaspoon of salt
¾ cups of water.

Prepare dough for covering: Combine the all purpose flour, oil, salt and water to make a stiff dough.  Cover and let it rest for 30 to 40 minutes covered.

Prepare filling: Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the spinach microwave it for a minute and allow it to wilt for 15 minutes, squeeze it to remove the water contained in it.

To a pan on medium heat add 4 tablespoon of oil.  When the oil is hot add the cumin seeds, fennel seed, wait for a few seconds till the cumin and fennel sizzle, add the chopped ginger and green chili, saute for a few seconds add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder saute for a few seconds add the paneer add a little water cover and cook for a few minutes add the spinach and cook for 5 minutes.  Add water as need to prevent the pan from burning at the bottom.  You want to have a dry filling to make the samosa. After the spinach is cooked  keep it aside and let it cool. When it is cool assemble the samosa as shown in the video

By baking instead of frying the oil used for making samosa has been cut down. These samosa are a lot less greasy yet the taste has not been compromised. This is a healthier version of samosa.



http://www.easycooking321.com/  all rights reserved

Vathal Kolambu

1 cup small eggplant chopped
4 tablespoon oil for best results use Indian sesame oil
2 teaspoon channa dal
1 teaspoon urad dal
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek
2 dry red chili or to taste
4 teaspoon sambar powder or substitute with store bought adjust to taste
                       (easy home made recipe for sambar powder --- click here)
1/2 turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
1 teaspoon of salt or to taste
1 teaspoon corn starch dissolved in water

In a pan on medium heat add channa dal and urad dal when the dal is brown add mustard seeds fenugreek seeds and dry red chili when the mustard seeds crackle add the eggplant saute for a few seconds, cover and let it cook for 6 to 8 minutes.  Add sambar powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida add water tamarind concentrate and salt let it boil for 6 minutes and turn the heat off.  Add corn starch dissolved in water.

A berry called "Sundakkai" is dried and used in this dish along with the other frying ingredients.  Vathal means dried in Tamil.  Since "Sundakkai" is not available locally I have substituted eggplant for it.

Pani Puri

1 pkt of packaged pani puri ( contains 50 puris)
1 cup of chickpeas or garbanzo beans cooked
2 whole potatoes boiled and peeled and chopped
1 green chili or to taste
½ bunch of cilantro leaves
a few mint leaves
½ cup of coriander seeds
¼ cup of cumin seeds
1 ½ teaspoon of black salt
1 ½ teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of chat masala
1 ½ tamarind concentrate
6 cups of water

Dry roast the coriander seed and cumin seeds, when cool grind it and keep it aside.  To the same jar add mint leaves with stalks removed, green chili, cilantro leaves and water and grind them.  To the mint and cilantro water add 1 ½ tablespoon of tamarind concentrate, ½ teaspoon black salt, ½ teaspoon of regular salt and 1/2 teaspoon of chat masala. 
 
To the mashed potato add 1 ½ teaspoon of the coriander, cumin ground powder, ½ teaspoon salt, mix and mash the potato.

To the cooked chick peas 1 ½ teaspoon of the coriander, cumin ground powder, ½ teaspoon salt mash and mix it.

Assemble the pani puri as shown on the video and serve.

Optional you can serve sweet chutney with this dish. Recipe for sweet chutney <=.
There is lot of salt in this dish. Adjust it according to your taste and medical needs.

Samosa - Baked with Cauliflower and Potato filling

click on arrow to watch video:
For outer covering:
1 ½ cup of all purpose flour
⅓ cup of oil ¼ teaspoon of salt
¾ cup of water or enough to make  a stiff dough

For filling:
3 cups of chopped potato
2 cups of cauliflower florets
¼ cups of peanuts
1 tablespoon of chopped ginger
1 tablespoon of chopped green chili
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1 teaspoon of cumin powder
1 teaspoon of coriander powder
4 tablespoon of oil
1 teaspoon of salt
¾ cups of water.

Combine the all purpose flour, oil, salt and water to make a stiff dough.  Cover and let it rest for 30 to 40 minutes covered.

To a pan on medium heat add 4 tablespoon of oil.  When the oil is hot add the cumin seeds, fennel seed, wait for a few seconds add the chopped ginger and green chili, saute for a few seconds add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder saute for a few seconds add the cauliflower and potato add a little water cover and cook until the vegetables are cooked.  Add water as need to prevent the pan from burning at the bottom.  After the vegetables are cooked keep it aside and let it cool.  When it is cool assemble the samosa as shown in the video.

Normally samosas are fried these are baked.  No need to stand in front of a burner with a pan full of oil to fry.  These are a lot less greasy and taste fabulous.  Serve with ketchup, sweet chutney, coconut chutney.