Samosa Secrets and Deep Fried Dreams

I am so excited to introduce Sanjana this week as a guest blogger. A few months ago I came across her incredible blog, KO Rasoi, and immediately fell in love with it. Her yummy recipes, gorgeous photos and witty, friendly writing voice has made it an absolute favorite of mine. With finals, work and holiday travel, it would have been impossible for me to post this week, so I'm very grateful that she could share one of her nutritious and delicious recipes with all of you. Please enjoy and have a safe and happy New Year!

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I fell in love with Stacy’s light, simple and nutritious recipes the first time I set my hungry eyes on Nutrition as Nature Intended. I have been avidly reading this blog for a good few months now and it is going to be so difficult to follow the high standard of recipes she posts. I would just like to thank Stacy for this wonderful opportunity and I hope to do justice to this fantastic blog by sharing one of my own nutritious recipes created for today, just for you!

Samosa Secrets and Deep Fried Dreams

Ever get those naughty samosa cravings? I for one can (shamefully) admit that I get them more often than I should. It’s unfortunate that the only thing that’s stopping me from indulging in them every other week is the sad fact that they’re deep fried. I’ve always felt that baked samosas are never as good as the fried kind. Obviously, deep fried anything is usually good and I always want what I can’t have. With this recipe, baking the samosas in filo/spring roll pastry works better than making heavy, porous dough from scratch because it absorbs less oil. And of course, it’s the express way to getting your hands on some light, nutritious, protein-packed samosas! I, a critic of the baked samosa can promise you that with this recipe you will never miss the much-loved calorie-laden, deep fried samosas. Well, maybe you will a little…

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Sprouted Pulse Baked Samosas
Makes around 15 samosas

To Sprout the Pulses
¼ cup dry, whole mung beans
¼ cup Turkish gram/moth beans

Note: You can use any dry pulses you like here (E.G. puy lentils, adzuki beans, soya beans etc).

You need to soak these in cold water overnight then drain them. Line a colander with kitchen paper then transfer the pulses into it. Cover with another sheet of kitchen paper moistened with water. Check the paper every so often and if it has dried out, moisten it again. They should begin to sprout after 24 hours. I left mine for two days but you can really leave them as long as your want (ideally 3 days). Any longer and you may end up with a beanstalk as tall as Jack’s. Uhh okay, maybe not that tall.

Wash and drain the sprouted pulses thoroughly then set aside.

Ingredients for the Filling

1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida (optional)
1 large onion, chopped finely
5 green chillies, minced (more or less according to how hot you like it)
1 tbsp ginger, minced
½ tsp turmeric powder
¼ cup reconstituted soya mince
1 tsp coriander powder
½ cup fresh coriander, chopped
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
½ lemon, juice and zest
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste

To Wrap the Samosas

1 packet spring roll pastry/filo pastry (these usually come frozen and contain around 20-30 sheets)

2-3 tbsp plain flour mixed with water to a glue-like paste

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick pan and add the cumin seeds and asafoetida if you are using any. Immediately add the chopped onion, chillies, ginger and turmeric powder. Cook for around five minutes on a medium heat, stirring often.
2. Add the sprouted pulses and cook them until they are tender (but not squished!)
3. Add in the rehydrated soya mince and the rest of the ingredients, stir and remove from the heat.
4. When the filling mixture has cooled, wrap the samosas using the gluey flour and water paste you made to seal the edges. See the nifty little How To below. (If you can’t do this then have fun and create your own way of folding! Spring rolls are great too!)

5. Brush with a little sunflower oil (paying attention to the corners as they are prone to scorching in the oven). Bake on a non-stick baking tray at 180 degrees Centigrade (350 F) until golden.

Serve with a wedge of sour lemon to give it a kick, or your favourite chutney.

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Thank you again Sanjana!

Tomato Jam

I first had tomato jam at FIVE restaurant in Berkeley this summer. It was served in a dollop on top of goat cheese orzo “mac and cheese” with morel mushrooms. It added a sweet flavor that balanced perfectly with the cheese. Because I was inspired during the summer, I was able to make the jam with great seasonal tomatoes from my parents' garden. The second time I had tomato jam was recently at Umbuntu in Napa. It was served as a jelly doughnut along with burrata cheese. Again, it was so delicious I had to make it again. Unfortunately, tomatoes are no longer in season so I used canned tomatoes this time.

Tomatoes contain large amounts of vitamin C and provide good amounts of vitamin A, potassium and iron. They are well known for containing lycopene, a compound which acts as an antioxidant. Studies have shown that lycopene reduces the risk of developing most cancers, such as prostate, stomach, lung, breast and endometrial cancer. Lycopene is also great for healthy eyes and improving cardiovascular health. Please note that tomatoes are a member of the nightshade family (which includes potatoes and peppers) and may cause aches and pains in some people.

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb tomatoes, roughly cut
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely minced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat. Keep at a simmer for about an hour, occasionally stirring gently, until the mixture thickens to a jam-like consistency. Put tomato jam into sterilized jars (you can find instructions for sterilizing jars at this post). This jam will store in the fridge for a couple weeks.

Here I had the jam on gluten-free sandwich bread from Mariposa Bakery and topped it with Tickler cheddar. Let me know how you think you will enjoy it!

Latkes

Every year my family has a Hannukah party on Saturday night. Our friends and family get together to celebrate and EAT. The star of the night is always the latkes. I am sure every Jewish family thinks their latkes are the best—but my family's really are! The key is the large amount of chopped onions we add to the potato mixture. It imparts great flavor and really works well with the applesauce and sour cream served on the side. Also, onions are loaded with nutritional benefits. They are members of the Allium Family, which includes garlic, shallots and leeks, and are great for treating colds, coughs and asthma and preventing athersclerosis.

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INGREDIENTS

• 8 Russet potatoes
• 3 small onions, chopped
• 1 cup flour
• two eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus a little extra for sprinkling
• 2 teaspoons fresh cracked pepper
• optional: sour cream and applesauce on the side

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 250°F.

Peel potatoes and coarsely grate by hand, transferring to a large bowl of cold water as grated. Soak potatoes 1 to 2 minutes after last batch is added to water, then drain well in a colander. Blot with paper towels to ensure you have removed all the remaining liquid.

Transfer potato mixture to a bowl and stir in the eggs, flour and sea salt and pepper.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet (I prefer cast iron for this) over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 4 latkes, spoon 2 tablespoons potato mixture per latke into skillet, flattening with a spatula.

Cook until undersides are browned, and then flip and brown other side. Transfer to paper towels to drain and then season with salt. Add more oil to skillet as needed.

Keep latkes warm on a wire rack set in a shallow baking pan in the oven.

And here is my mom’s lovely Hanukkah table!

Farro Minestrone Soup

After a few weeks without internet (or a kitchen), I am so happy to post another favorite recipe. I just moved and am beyond excited! And sweetening the whole experience is my beautiful new kitchen! The first recipe I made when I moved in was Farro Minestrone Soup. After moving, we needed something comforting and nourishing to feed our aching selves. I have always loved to make minestrone. I replaced the pasta with farro a few years ago, once I heard that it was low in gluten and good for those with wheat sensitivities (please substitute the farro in this recipe with another grain if you have Celiac Disease).

While researching farro, I found that it is the original grain from which all others derive! Wow. It has fed the Mediterranean and Near Eastern populations for thousands of years. Farro should be soaked to optimize digestion and it lends a wonderful chewy, firm texture to this soup. Farro has its outer bran and germ layers intact, which are full of nutrients such as folate, vitamin E, potassium and fiber. I add a parmesan rind to this soup during cooking. It thickens it in a lovely way and imparts a rich, nutty texture. I keep leftover parmesan rinds in the freezer and simply pop them in soup when needed.

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INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 cup farro
• 1 cup cooked white beans
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 6 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
• parmesan cheese rind
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 thyme sprigs
• freshly grated parmesan cheese
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Soak farro in water for two hours. Drain farro and rinse.

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots and some salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant.

Add farro, tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, parmesan rind and stock/water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then adjust heat to a steady simmer. Cook for about an hour , stirring periodically. If the soup is too thick from the farro absorbing the liquid, add more stock or a little water. Add white beans and cook 15 minutes more. Stir in parsley and then cook another 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf  and thyme and add sea salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with lots of parmesan, a sprinkle of parsley and a drizzle of good quality olive oil.

I think this soup is much better the next day as the flavors continue to meld overnight. However, when storing the soup the farro will continue to absorb the liquid it's in. Be prepared to add some water or stock to thin it out when re-heating. Enjoy!