The Indian Vegan Kitchen (13 page)

7. Fill the cone with the vegetable filling. Dip finger in water and run along the inside of the cone mouth and press the lips together to seal the cone. Keep filled samosas between dry towels to avoid drying.

8. Heat about 3 inches oil in a wok/
karahi
or a medium skillet over medium heat. (Or use electric fryer and heat oil to 325ºF.) Oil is ready when a pinch of dough dropped into the oil floats up within seconds. (It is important to have the oil the right temperature; if it’s too hot, the samosas’ crust will brown right away and the inside will not be cooked. If the oil is not hot enough, the samosas might fall apart or get greasy.) Fry 5 to 8 samosas at a time (depending on the size of your
karahi
) until light golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes on each side.

9. Serve warm with Cilantro Chutney (page 185) or ketchup.

NOTE:
Prepared samosas can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator overnight. To reheat samosas, preheat oven to 350
°
F and cook for 7 to 9 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

 

FILLING

DOUGH

1. Prepare Mixed Vegetable Filling according to recipe. Thaw pastry sheet according to directions.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F.

3. Carefully open the pastry sheet. Lightly dust the counter with all-purpose flour and roll one pastry sheet into a 14 × 14-inch square. Cut the rolled sheet into 5 strips horizontally and vertically, making 25 squares.

4. Place about 1 tablespoon filling in the center of each square; fold one corner of the square over to make a triangle. Press the edges together, sealing the triangles. Stuff all 25 pastries. Place triangles 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm with chutney or ketchup.

VARIATION:
Substitute Potato Filling (see Variation, page 62) for the Mixed Vegetable Filling.

GF, LF

These
pakoras
/fritters are one of my favorites. My neighbor back in India introduced them to me when I was a teenager. The diced potatoes keep the fritters moist and the black pepper adds a distinct flavor and heat. I serve them as appetizers at a party or as a snack with hot tea or coffee.

1. Wash mung dal in 3 to 4 changes of water, until the water is relatively clear. Soak dal in cold water for 2 hours or overnight. Rinse again in 1 to 2 changes of water. Strain the dal and discard the water.

2. In a food processor or blender, coarsely grind the drained dal with
½
cup water. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

3. Add the diced potatoes, black pepper, salt, coriander, and amchur. Mix well.

4. Heat 2 inches oil in a
karahi
/wok or skillet on high heat. Oil is ready when a little bit of batter dropped into the oil rises to the top right away (about 375ºF).

5. Drop about 1 tablespoon of batter at a time in the hot oil with a spoon or forefingers (if comfortable working with your hands), frying several fritters at a time. Fry for 5 to 7 minutes, until light brown on one side. Turn fritters over and fry on the other side. Drain on paper towels.

6. Serve hot with Cilantro Chutney (page 185).

MAKE AHEAD:
You can partially fry all the fritters to light brown color, step 5. Cool and refrigerate in a covered bowl for up to 2 days. Or, freeze them for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe plastic bag. Before serving (thaw if frozen), fry them again on high heat, as in step 5, to golden brown.You can bake them, if desired, in a preheated oven (400ºF) in a single layer. Baking makes the fritters a little dry, so take care not to overbake them.

GF

1. Sift the besan to break any lumps. Set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine potatoes, onions, and spinach. Add besan and cream of rice. Using a large spoon, mix well with water. Add coriander, cayenne pepper, green chiles, salt, and amchur. Mix well to coat vegetables.

3. Heat 3 inches oil in a
karahi
/wok or skillet on high heat. Oil is ready when a little bit of batter dropped in the oil rises to the top right away (about 400ºF).

4. Drop about 1 tablespoon of batter at a time in the hot oil with a spoon or forefingers (if comfortable working with your hands), frying several fritters at a time. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown on one side. Turn fritters over and fry on the other side. Drain on paper towels. The fritters will be irregular in shape.

5. Serve hot with chutney of choice.

MAKE AHEAD:
You can partially fry all the fritters to light brown color, step 5. Cool and refrigerate in a covered bowl for up to 2 days. Or, freeze them for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe plastic bag. Before serving (thaw if frozen), fry them again on high heat, as in step 5, to golden brown.You can bake them, if desired, in a preheated oven (400ºF) in a single layer. Baking makes the fritters a little dry, so take care not to overbake them.

GF

1. Sift besan to break any lumps. In a mixing bowl, combine besan, cream of rice, coriander, cayenne pepper, amchur, and ¾ teaspoon salt. Add
½
cup water and stir well with a large spoon until mixture forms a batter-like consistency.

2. Slice eggplant into ¼ -inch-thick circles. If the circles are too wide, cut them in half. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt.

3. Heat 3 inches oil in a
karahi
/wok or skillet on high heat. Oil is ready when a little bit of batter dropped in the oil rises to the top right away (about 400ºF).

4. Dip several eggplant slices at a time in the batter, making sure they are completely coated. Take out 1 eggplant slice at a time, drain the excess batter on the side of the bowl, and slide it into the hot oil. Fry several fritters at a time. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown on one side. Turn over and fry the other side. Drain on paper towels.

5. Serve hot with chutney of choice.

NOTE:
These fritters do not keep well. The moisture from the eggplant makes them soften as they sit. To reheat, place them in a single layer, in a preheated 400ºF oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until firm. Do not overbake, as they will become dry.