Puff pastry

1 package of frozen puff pastry *

1 egg beaten

filling

1 1/2 cups minced meat

2 tbsp oil

1/4 cup onion

1/4 cup tomatoes

1 tbsp garlic

1/2 tbsp ginger grated

1/2 tsp chillie powder

1/4 tsp pepper ground optional

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp cumin ground or garam masala

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp coriander leaves

1 tbsp lemon juice

Heat oil sauté the onion, garlic and ginger. Add meat, spices then the tomato and stir fry. Cook the meat covered until it is done. Add the lemon juice towards the end. Remove from heat and add coriander leaves. Cool the filling completely before putting into the pastry.

Cut the puff pastries into any size squares, put the filling and fold it like a triangle. Press the edges then brush with egg yolk. Before baking leave it in the fridge for about 5 minutes till the next batch is ready or till the oven preheats, this will help the pastries puff beautifully.

Bake at 375F for 15 to 20 minutes until puffed and golden in colour.

* For convenience I used store bought puff pastry made with vegetarian ingredients. Use any type of store or bakery bought puff pastry or use homemade puff pastry.

This #BWFood mint leaves goes to black and white event.

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Beef stew

2" cinnamon stick

2 to 3 cardamom

3 to 4 cloves

3/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/4 tsp aniseed

1/8 tsp nutmeg ground

1/8 tsp mace ground

Grind all the above ingredients and leave aside. Roasting it is optional.

2 tbsp oil

1 lb stew meat cut into cubes

2 bay leaves

4 tbsp onion

1 tsp garlic

1 tsp ginger

1 tbsp coriander ground

1/2 tbsp chillie powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp yogurt

1 1/2 cup water

2 tbsp flour in 4 tbsp water

Wash the meat and cut into cubes, it is about 1 1/2 cups of meat.

Heat oil, sauté onions, ginger, garlic and then add the meat.

Add coriander powder, chillie powder, turmeric, salt, the ground spices and vinegar. Beat the yogurt with water, then add it to the meat. Cook covered in low to medium heat till the meat is soft and well cooked.

Add the flour dissolved in the 4 tbsp water towards the end and cook for a few minutes. The flour mixture thickens the gravy.

This beef stew or Nihari is served hot with rice or flatbread and goes to Hyderabadi Ramadan food festival 2011.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Torviewtoronto © 2011 unless mentioned. Please Ask First

Samosas fried savoury pastries

March 22, 2011 This post was featured on FoodBuzz Top 9

Samosas are perfect for any tea party. These savoury snacks are participating in the Foodbuzz, Kelly confidential and Electrolux tea party top 9 takeover to fundraise for Ovarian cancer research.

Please support by joining this cause when you click their site and choose an outfit for the party Electrolux will donate $1 towards this cause you don't have to pay anything.

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

5 tbsp vegetable oil

5 tbsp water or more if needed

oil for frying

Mix the flour with salt. Add oil a tbsp at a time and mix to make it like crumbs. Then slowly add water tbsp at a time and knead till the dough comes together to form a stiff ball.
Knead the dough on a board for about 10 minutes until it is smooth. Coat with oil, cover the dough and leave aside for 1/2 hour.

Divide the dough into 12 parts and roll it thin into a circle, then cut into two parts. Filling can be anything you prefer, the filling I used is below. Place the filling and fold it into a triangle, use water to seal if needed. This makes 24 samosas.

Heat oil about 1" high then reduce the heat to medium hot and fry the samosas until it is golden brown. If using a wide pan can fry a few at a time. Increase or decrease the heat depending on if it is browning too much too fast, samosas need to be fried slowly till it is crispy.

Meat and potato filling

1 cup minced meat

2 cup boiled mashed potatoes

2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp carom or ajwain seeds optional

1/4 cup onions chopped

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/4 to 1/2 tsp chillie powder to taste

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped coriander

1 tsp lemon juice optional to taste

Vegetarian option

Avoid the meat and place vegetables such as carrots, peas, frozen vegetables and cook the same way.

Heat oil in medium high heat and stir fry onions, ginger garlic paste and meat. Mix and press the meat with a back of a spoon to separate the meat from clumping. Add the spices, cover and cook for a few minutes till it is done. Add the potatoes, mix and remove from heat. Add coriander leaves and keep it covered. Add lemon juice if using this is optional.

Remove the cover and cool the filling before inserting it in the samosas.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Torviewtoronto © 2011 unless mentioned. Please Ask First

Pasta quick and easy

2 cups of pasta

1 cup tomatoes

1/2 cup onions

1 tbsp curry leaves optional

1 tsp garlic

1 tsp ginger grated

If using meat

2 tbsp oil

1 cup minced meat

1/2 tsp chillie powder

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp coriander leaves

Boil pasta in salted water with 1 tsp of oil according to the directions on the package.

Heat oil, then add onions, curry leaves if using, ginger, garlic, meat and spices, then add tomatoes and cook the meat covered in low heat until it is cooked. If you like add the tomatoes without skin or grate the tomatoes into the meat, this will be like adding sauce.

Put the pasta into a colander, hold it under cold water. Then toss the cooked drained pasta into the sauce. Add pomegranate seeds or diced bell peppers or cheese on top and serve hot.

If you don't have minced meat or you want to make it vegetarian avoid the meat and spices and make a sauce; heat oil add onions, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Then add it to the cooked pasta.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Torviewtoronto © 2011 unless mentioned. Please Ask First

Keema stuffed parata

1/2 cup minced meat

1/4 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tomato

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp chillie powder

pinch turmeric

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp salt

1 onion

1 green chillie

coriander leaves

Heat oil add minced meat, ginger garlic and spices sauté till the meat is brown. Add tomatoes, when the oil separates remove and add onion, green chillie, coriander leaves. When the minced meat or keema is cool, stuff into the parata dough. Flatten and cook both sides in medium high heat. Serve hot on its own or with other curries.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Torviewtoronto © 2010 unless mentioned. Please Ask First

Layered pastry

This is a layered pastry traditionally called Aduku roti. We make this baked pastry during Ramadan, as it is a filling and delicious to have after breaking fast. 

For the outer pastry

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder
1 egg beaten with little water
1/2 cup margarine
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

This dough recipe can be used to make savoury snack patties.

Knead everything together using little water as possible to make a soft dough. Cover the dough with a clingfilm and leave it in the fridge for 1/2 hour before using.

For the inside pancake/ crepe

1 cup flour

1 egg (reserve a tbsp for egg wash)

1/4 tsp salt

water as needed

Mix all the ingredients and make a thick pourable batter. 

This batter can be used to make savoury rolls or sweet coconut filled pancakes.

For chicken filling

1 cup of chicken without bones cut small

1/2 cup of potatoes cooked and mashed

1 to 2 tbsp oil

2 tbsp onion

1/2 tbsp curry leaves optional

1 tsp garlic

1/2 tsp ginger grated

2 tbsp tomato optional if using tomato sauce

2 tbsp spicy tomato sauce or 1/2 tbsp vinegar

1/2 tbsp chillie powder

1/4 tbsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp salt

Cut the chicken into small pieces and mix the spices together and leave aside for about 10 minutes.

Heat oil, and sauté the onion and curry leaves. Then add tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and the chicken with the spices and vinegar if using and stir fry.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove from heat, and add the sauce and cooked mashed potatoes.

Mix well and leave it to cool before using the filling.

Any other spicy filling can be used such as fish filling or sweet and spicy sambal filling or meat filling.

To make the pastry

Roll the outer dough thin about 1/4" and put it in a deep dish with the sides over hanging. We will be using the over hanging dough to wrap the pastry and make a parcel. 

Then lay a pancake or crepe and then the filling. Continue to alternate the pancake and filling up to the top and end with a pancake. Then fold the tops to cover.

Place this on a baking pan with the folded part on the bottom of the baking pan. The baking dish doesn't need to be buttered, it depends on the type of baking dish you are using.

Apply egg wash by using the reserved egg from the pancake. If you want you can mix a tsp of milk with the egg, and apply to the top and side of the layered pastry and bake at 375F for 25 to 30 minutes.

The pastry will be golden in colour and a little puffed.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Torviewtoronto © 2010 unless mentioned. Please Ask First