Showing posts with label accompaniment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label accompaniment. Show all posts

Monday, August 22, 2011

For the love of Samosas


I've always had a certain love for Indian food.  
In fact one of the most romantic dates I've had involved Indian food.  While I know that most people have a love/hate relationship with it...I have a certain affair with it.  
I love the warmth of the spices that fill my senses and the versatility of the spices.
So one day I just decided to make Samosas.


1 tbs ghee, 1 clove finely chopped garlic, 1 tsp finely chopped ginger, 2 medium finely chopped onions, 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tbs, lemon juice (or vinegar), 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tbs coriander.....

The recipe called for 2 tbs chopped fresh mint which I didn't bother with and I had decided to add

1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp cardemom.

The recipe also requested 250 grams of minced beef or lamb...I used about a pound of beef.



To make the filling, heat the ghee in a sauce pan and fry garlic, ginger and half the onion until onion is soft.  Add Curry powder, salt, vinegar/lemon, mix well.  Add minced beef/lamb and fry over high heat.  Stirring constantly until meat changes colour.  Turn heat down and add hot water.  Cover pan and cook until meat is tender and all the liquid is absorbed.

Towards the end of cooking, stir frequently to prevent meat from sticking to the base of the pan.  Sprinkle with garam masala and chopped mint/coriander, remove from heat and allow to cool.  Mix in reserved onion.  


For the dough, use 225 grams plain flour, 1 tsp salt, 3 tbs oil, 1 approx 100 ml hot water, 1 oil for frying.

To make the dough, sieve together the flour and the salt.  Rub in the oil.  Add enough water to form a stiff dough.  Knead for 10 minutes until smooth.

Divide into 12 balls.  Roll each ball into a round 15 cm/6" across.  Cut in half.

Pick up one half, flatten slightly, and form a cone, sealing the overlapping edge with a little water.  Fill the cone  with 1.5 tsp of the filling and seal the top with a little water.

Make all the samosas the same way.

Heat the oil in a Karahi (Wok) over medium heat.   Put as many samosas as you can into the hot oil and fry until crisp and golden.  Drain.  Serve with a chutney or your favourite chilli or tomato sauce.


Now, this is my first time working with samosa dough and I don't have the most delicate of fingers.  Needless to say this is how my first batch came out.....


So I went with a second bout with my second batch and went in an easier direction.  With won ton wrappers.  And this is how THESE came out.


Either way both came out good although very different from each other.
Would I make it again?  Sure.  I'm a huge fan of the filling.

I had adapted my recipe from here

My next adventure is supposed to be with curry.....I'll get to that eventually.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Edamame Mash


I've had Edamame before.  I like Edamame.  I always have.  I've just never had an Edamame mash before.
I've seen recipes for it.  Been curious.  Seen many different versions of it.  So I figured since I made Goose.
I'd make use of the flavor laced fat I had received from baking the shred goose the second time around.


The containers say "Goose Fat + 5 Spice + Sage" and the second says "Goose Stock"....Yes, I'm aware my handwriting is like chicken scratch.....
I boiled the Edamame for approx 10 minutes while skinning 3 red potatoes.  Once the Edamame was boiled, I put them in the food processor....While adding a some goose fat and stock to the mix.....Once that was mixed to desired consistency...Oh and I had the potatoes cut and boiling at this time as well...
I put the Edamame mash (part 1) into another bowl and put the red potatoes into the food processor as I slowly drizzled heavy whipping cream into the mix....
After awhile I reverted back to my still warm stock pot and used an old fashioned potato masher


I mashed and mixed away.

And this was the result.


I think it could use more Edamame....  But I also think the flavor laced goose fat and stock slightly over powered the Edamame mash.

However.  The following day I had the goose and the Edamame mash together. 

Yummy.