Archive for August, 2014
Something a little different from your usual samosa perfect Indian recipe idea with a twist. Super simple to make.
INGREDIENTS
500g beetroot
1/2 tsp mustard seeeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
6-8 curry leaves
2 green chillies
6-8 tbsp grated coconut
1 pack of frozen Spring Roll or Samosa pastry (Available from most Asian supermarkets)
Oil, suitable for frying
Salt
4-5tbsp flour
2-3 tbsp water
METHOD
- Wash the beetroots, remove the leaves and boil, steam or pressure cook them until tender. Once cooled, dice into very small squares.
- Finely slice the curry leaves and green chillies and set aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil and add the mustard seeds. Allow them to splutter then reduce the heat a little and add the cumin seeds. As soon as they change colour add the curry leaves and green chilli.
- Sauté for a minute then add the asafoetida and, almost immediately after, the grated coconut. Continue to sauté, ensuring that you keep stirring from the bottom up, as once the coconut is added it will stick to the bottom. Use a flat wooden spatula.
- Once the coconut is dry and almost toasted, add the beetroot and sauté for a few minutes until the beetroot feels dry to the touch. Check seasoning, remove and cool.
- Thaw the unopened pack of frozen pastry. Take the pile of sheets out of the packing and place on a chopping board.
- Place a round side plate on top of the pastry and use as a template to cut the pastry slices into circles. Remove the side plate and cut the circles in half to create 2 piles of semi-circles.
- Make a paste from the flour and water. It should be thick like glue.
- Shape cones from two pastry semi-circles on top of each other. Fill with the stuffing, fold over until you have perfect triangles, then seal the edges with the flour and water glue.
- Heat the oil to deep fry once the batch is ready. Fry at roughly 180°C on all sides.
Radish & Butternut pilaf with almonds and Greek yoghurt
The wonderfully fragrant smell of the onions and spices cooking at the beginning of the recipe will really get you in the mood for this delicious pilaf. This is a quick, easy recipe to make but the resulting dish is warm and comforting and is packed full of vitamins and goodness. Radishes are delightfully low in calories and being a low GI food help to fill you up and provide you with slow release energy. This is a great meal for all the family – though you may like to serve the youngest in the family before scattering the chopped chilli on top!
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp black onion seeds
400g basmati rice
400g butternut squash diced
800ml hot chicken stock
Salt and pepper
100ml Greek yogurt
100g radishes sliced
100g roasted almonds, crushed
Small bunch mint, roughly chopped
Small bunch coriander, chopped
1 chilli chopped
METHOD
- Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan with a tight fitting lid, add the onion, garlic, cumin, fennel and black onion seeds, cook for 3 minutes, stirring every now and then until the onions are translucent.
- Now add the rice and cook for a further 2 minutes until the rice has also turned translucent, stirring all the time. Add the butternut squash and stock, bring to the boil and turn down the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Season and place the lid on the pan and leave to cook without stirring for 10 minutes, or until all the stock has been absorbed, turn off the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes to finish cooking.
- Remove the lid and give a gentle stir. Top with a spoonful or two of Greek yogurt and scatter the sliced radishes and remaining ingredients over the top. Serve at once.