Saturday, March 12, 2011

Samosa

For Filling:1/2 kg-potatoes(boiled and mashed)
1 cup-peas(boiled)
1 tsp-chilli powder
1 1/2 tsp-garam masala
1 tsp-coriander powder
1/2 tsp-raw mango(amchur) powder
salt to taste
For the dough:
1 cup-flour(maida)
1/8 cup-oil or ghee (heated)
1 tsp-cumin seeds
salt to taste
water to knead the dough
Procedure:
For the dough:

  1. Mix  all the ingredients except water.
  2. Add little water at a time and make a soft dough.
  3. Keep it aside for 30 mins.

For the filling:

  1. Boil the potatoes and peas with salt.
  2. Mash the potatoes thoroughly,mix in the peas and all the spices.
  3. Separate the dough into small rolls and roll it into cirles of 4"-5" diameter.
  4. Cut each of these into semicircles.
  5. Fold these semicircles into cones,add in the filling and seal the sides by using a drop of water.
  6. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry these samosas.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli

Ingredients
For pasta dough:
1/2 cup-flour(maida)
1/2 cup-semolina(chiroti rave)
2 tsp-olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
water
For filling:
1 bunch(100 gms)-spinach(leaves only)
1 tbsp-ricotta cheese
2 tsp-parmesan(grated)
1/2 tsp-nutmeg powder
salt,pepper and dried herbs
For sauce:
3 tsp-pine nuts(roasted)
1 cup-fresh cream
1 tsp-finely chopped garlic
2 tsp-olive oil
maida
2 cubes-cheddar cheese(grated)
grated mozzarella(for garnishing)
salt,pepper and mixed herbs(oregano,basil,thyme,rosemary)
Procedure:

  1. For the dough mix all the ingredients,add the water carefully.The dough should be elastic and soft.Add a little of flour if the dough becomes very watery.Keep it aside for 1/2 hr.
  2. For the filling blanch the spinach leaves,drain the water and mash it thoroughly.Mix this spinach with the other ingredients for the filling.

For the sauce-

  1. Roast the pinenuts-Take a non stick pan and roast these pine nuts on a medium flame until light brown and.Do not add oil as the pine nuts have sufficient amount of oil content and get roasted very fast.Move the pan continuously to keep them from burning until you the nice aroma.ove 
  2. Heat a pan.add in the olive oil and roast the garlic.Next add the cream,cheese,spices and cook.
  3. Divide the dough into 2 halves.Use a rolling pin and  make small chapatis of around 1-2mm thickness.A pasta machine can be used for this too.
  4. Take each chapati and moisten the edges,keep the filling at the centre and fold the chapati to cover it on the dough ,seal the edges.Cook these dumplings in hot water.Add a little of oil to prevent them from sticking .
  5. Dumplings reach the surface of the vessel after they are completely cooked.Drain the water and mix these dumplings in the cream sauce.
  6. Maida can be used to thicken the sauce and grated mozzarella for garnishing the ravioli.