Is there a vegetarian samosa recipe that isn't potato based?!
Answers: I used to love spicy samosas. I've recently tried the vegetarian version with a potato base, and they're OK, but the texture is nothing like that of the meat-based samosas.
Baked Samosa Logs with Fruit-Sweetened Tomato Chutney
Logs
8 cup cauliflower, diced
1 1/3 cup baby peas, fresh or frozen
1 1/2 tbl coconut flakes, unsweetened
1 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper or
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tbl cilantro, fresh, chopped
1 1/2 tbl lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
12 whl -wheat chapatis
olive oil spray or olive oil, for brushing
Chutney
2 tsp virgin olive oil
2 tbl ginger root, freshly grated
1/2 tbl jalapeno pepper, minced
1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
1/2 tbl coriander seeds, crushed
5 1/2 cup tomato puree
2 cup tomatoes, diced, with juice
1/2 cup white grape juice
salt and pepper to taste
Logs: Steam cauliflower in a large pan for 10 minutes. If using frozen peas, defrost; addpeas and steam for 3 more minutes. Transfer cauliflower and peas to a bowl and add coconut, curry powder, cayenne or paprika, cilantro, lemon juice and salt. Toss to mix. Allow mixture to cool slightly and divide into 12 portions, about 1/2 cup each. Place one chapati on a work surface and brush lightly with water.
With your hands, shape a portion of the vegetable mixture into a log.
Place about 1 1/2 inches from the botom edge of the chapati. Roll chapati halfway, fold in sides, then finish rolling into a log. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat processwith remaining chapatis.
Preheat oven to 375F. Spray or brush samosas lightly with o8il. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until crisp and golden. Cut each samosa in half.
Makes 24 logs;
serves 8. Serve with fruit-sweetened tomato chutney.
Hints: Samosas can be made a day ahead of time and baked just before serving.
If you can't find chapatis, you can substitute flour tortillas (either white or whole wheat).
Chutney: Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add ginger, pepper, and cumin and coriander seeds. Cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat an simmer, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
Hints: Chutney can be made up to 2 days before serving. Store in the refrigerator. If you double the recipe, increase cooking time by 15 minutes.
If you freeze the chutney, season with salt and pepper before serving.
Gobhi Samosa
Ghee, as necessary
1 tsp White cumin seeds
1 tbl Onion, chopped
4 tbl Cauliflower, grated
1 tbl Green peas
1 pch Asafetida
1 tsp Green mango powder
1 pch Garam masala
1/2 tsp Salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp Cayenne
1 x Recipe pastry dough
Water to bind
Heat 1 tb ghee in a skillet. Saute the cumin seeds until golden. Add onion, cauliflower & peas & mix well. Mix in asafetida & mango powder, stir. Add garam masala, salt & cayenne. Cover the pan & cook over a moderate heat for 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat & cool. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions.
Take one half-moon of pastry & brush the edges with water. Fold into a cone. Fill pastry with 1 portion of cauliflower mixture & seal the top. Repeat with the rest of the pastry. Heat sufficient ghee (or vegetable oil) in a wok or large skillet to deep fry 4 samosas at a time. When very hot, deep-fry each samosa for a few minutes, until golden brown, flipping once to cook both sides. Drain on paper towels.
NOTE: To avoid excess fat I like to deep-fry the samosas, drain them very well & then reheat them in a toaster oven at 350F for 5 minutes or so. If you place them on a grill while re-heating them, extra oil can also drain off.
Moong Samosa
Ghee, as necessary
1 tbl Onion, chopped
1 pch Asafetida
1 tsp Black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Ginger, grated
1 pch Garam masala
1 pch Green mango powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cayenne
4 tbl Mung beans, presoaked
1 tbl Cilantro, chopped
1 x Recipe pastry dough
Water to bind
Heat 2 tb ghee in a skillet over low heat. Saute the onion, asafetida, mustard seeds & ginger until the onion is golden brown.
Stir in garam masala, green mango powder, salt & cayenne. Mix thoroughly.
Add beans, cover the pan & cook over moderate heat for 10 minutes until the beans are tender. Stir in cilantro & remove from heat.
Divide into 8 portions.
Brush one half moon of pastry with water & fold into a cone. Fill each cone with 1 portion of filling & seal the top. Repeat with remaining pastry.
Heat enough ghee in a wok or large skillet to deep-fry 4 samosas at once. When very hot, deep-fry the samosas for a few minutes until golden-brown on both sides. Remove from heat & drain well before serving.
Spicy Chickpea Samosas
Dough
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
3 tbl 1% low-fat milk
1 x egg white
2 tbl vegetable oil
Filling
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 x onion finely chopped
1 piece (1-inch) gingerroot peeled and minced
1 x garlic clove minced
15 oz chickpeas rinsed and drained
1 tbl chopped green chiles
1/2 cup frozen peas thawed
1 tbl fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
To prepare the dough, in a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; pulse to blend. Add the cheese, milk, egg white and oil; pulse until the dough begins to hold together. Gather into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (The dough may be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated up to 2 days at this point; let stand 1 hour at room temperature and proceed with recipe.)
To prepare the filling, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the curry and cumin; cook, stirring constantly, until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onion, ginger and garlic; cook, stirring as needed, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas, chiles and 3/4 cup water; cook, stirring gently, until most of the liquid is evaporated, 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and mash until fairly smooth. Gently stir in the peas, lemon juice and salt, taking care not to mash the peas.
Let stand 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle a work surface with a little flour. Place a small bowl of warm water by the work surface.
Divide the dough into fourths and roll each between your palms into a ball. Roll each ball into an 8" round and cut each in half. Moisten the straight edge of a dough half with a few drops of water. Fold over the straight edges, forming a cone, and press firmly to seal. Place about 2 tablespoons of the filling in the cone, then moisten the cone's open edges with a little water; firmly pinch the edges together. Repeat to make 8 samosas. Place the samosas on the baking sheet and spray them lightly on both sides with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
*SAMOSAS :A favorite snack in India, samosas are dumplings stuffed with curried vegetables.
Notes: These delicious bite-size turnovers are a popular Indian snack.
They're usually made with potatoes, but chickpeas add a healthful protein boost. Traditionally, samosas are deep-fried; here baking makes them every bit as delicious without adding calories.
There are a lot of ways to give that feeling of having meat in your mouth with out using meat. Sauteed mushrooms for one. T.V.P. textured vegetable protein. Firm tofu that is frozen and then thawed and marinated in soy sauce and garlic. For samosas I'd marinate in a curry sauce. Cauliflower and peas would be nice and traditional as well.