Homemade baked whole-wheat vegetable samosas

Step 1: prepare the dough or pastry

In a bowl mix (1 cup) whole-wheat flour + (½ tspn) salt + (½ tspn) carom seeds or thyme or oregano (optional). Then make a well in flour and add (1 tbspn) luke warm ghee + (½ cup) cold water.  Knead into a dough on a flat plate or flat floured surface. Add (1 tbspn) olive oil and knead again. Cover with cling film or damp tea towel and keep aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.  

After 30 minutes knead again and divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece in a ball. So there will be four pastry balls. Cover them with cling film or damp tea towel.

Step 2: Prepare the filling

Heat (3 tbpsn) oil in a pan, add crushed ginger (1 inch washed and peeled ginger) + (1 tspn) cumin seeds + (1 tbspn) crushed fennel seeds + (1 tbspn) crushed coriander seeds. Now add boiled potatoes diced (2 nos medium size) + (4 tbspn) green peas.  Mix well. Add salt to taste + (1 tspn) dry mango powder + (1 tspn) chaat masala + (½   tspn) rock salt + (1 tspn) black pepper. Stir well until potatoes are covered well. Close the lid and let it simmer on low heat for 30 mins until cooked. Leave it to cool.  

Step 3: Pre heat oven

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius with fan. Grease baking tray and keep it aside.

Step 4: Prepare samosas

Using little oil on a rolling pin (so that it doesn’t stick to the dough), roll out one dough ball into a 10 cm circle. (roll out medium, not very thin circle). Then using a knife cut this circle along the diameter (center- diameter) into two equal parts. Bush the flat straight edge with little water and bring the corners together to form a cone shape. Give it a good pinch at the peak of the cone. Slightly press the sealed edges of cone till they are shut. Fill with (1 tbspn or 2 tbspn) filling mixture (depending on the size of the samosa). Dampen top open end of the cone with water. Slightly press the two damped edges together to seal and this forms the broad end of the samosa.  

One pastry/dough ball portion will make two samosas. Repeat with the remaining three dough balls.

Step 5: Baking

Place all the samosas on a baking tray. Bake in the centre of the oven for 25-35 mins until crisp and golden brown. Turning halfway through the baking time

To serve, place samosas on a large serving plate and serve them with mint or tamarind chutney or just enjoy them with your afternoon hot cuppa. 

Recipe: Vegetarian

Preparation time : 30 mins

Baking  time : 25- 35 mins

Serves : 4 - 8 

All photograph's and text copyrights Trupti Rane's Spice Recipes and Trupti Rane's Spice Moments . Do not reproduce, copy without permission. All rights reserved.

Please use this recipe as a guideline and use your discretion to make the recipe or to make a substitution in the recipe. As results vary according to one's skills. 

Vegetable Kolhapuri

This is a spicy curry

A)   Wash and cut veggies in medium chunks, green pepper (1 nos) + carrot (1 nos) + french beans (10 nos) + small potato (1 nos)

Next wash and separate cauliflower florets (1 cup) + Green peas (½ cup)

B)  Deep fry each vegetable (except green peas), in turns starting with potatoes and keep each fried veggie aside.

C)   Prepare masala : Keep a pan on medium heat add (1 tbspn) oil + roast  (1 tbpsn) sesame seeds + (1 tbspn) peanuts + (1 tbspn) dry coconut + (1 tbspn) fresh coconut + red chillies (3 nos) + coriander seeds (1 tbpsn) + cumin seeds (1 tspn) + garlic (2 nos) + ginger( ½ inch) + onion diced (½ cup) + tomatoes diced (3 nos). Roast all of  them on medium heat. Cool the mixture. Next blend this roasted mixture in a smooth paste.

D)   Next to a pan on medium heat, add (3 tbspn) oil, quickly throw in star anise (1 nos) + big cardamom (1 nos) + cinnamon (½ inch) + red chilli (1 nos) + turmeric (1/4 tspn) + Kashmiri red chilli powder (1 tspn) do not burn them take care. Then add masala paste (Part C). Stir. Now add coriander powder (1 tspn) + cumin powder (1 tspn) + water (2 cups) + ghee (1 tbspn).  Mix well. Close the pan lid and let this mixture cook on low heat for 2 mins until it secretes oil.  Now at this stage add all of the fried veggies (Part B) + salt to taste or as required. Mix well. Close the pan lid and let this curry cook for another 2 mins on low heat.

E)   Garnish with coriander or fried red chilly.  Serve hot with chapati or naan bread. 

Recipe: Vegetarian, contains nuts (optional)

Preparation time : 20 mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Serves : 4

All photograph's and text copyrights Trupti Rane's Spice Recipes and Trupti Rane's Spice Moments . Do not reproduce, copy without permission. All rights reserved.

Please use this recipe as a guideline and use your discretion to make the recipe or to make a substitution in the recipe. As results vary according to one's skills. 

Spinach and potato in buttermilk

This healthy and simple recipe makes me happy

A) First job, wash and chop spinach (250 gms), wash and chop (1 nos) small potato in small chunks and keep them aside.

B) Next prepare the butter milk: (1 cup natural yoghurt preferably sour) + (3 cups) water, give it a good mix in a blender. Sieve.  To this buttermilk add (1 tspn) chaat masala + (1 nos) chopped green chilly + (2 tbspn) chick pea flour + (1 tbspn) fresh coconut. Mix again in the blender quickly.

C) Then keep a pan on medium heat, add (2 tbspn) olive oil, when the oil is warm, add (1 tspn) cumin seeds + (2-3 nos) chopped garlic + (½ inch) chopped ginger + asafoetida (1 pinch). Let this mixture crackle. Next add chopped potato and chopped spinach. Add turmeric (¼ tspn) + cumin powder (1 tspn) and coriander powder (½ tspn). Mix well, close lid and let it cook for few mins on medium heat until spinach and potatoes are soft but not mushy. Add the above buttermilk mixture (part B), + (1 tbspn) crushed peanuts. Keep stirring continuously until smooth curry and until small liquid bubbles start popping up. Add salt (1 tspn or to taste) and mix + close lid and cook for 1 min on low flame until creamy texture. Remove the pan from heat now and keep aside.

D)  Finish with seasoning: - in a small pan on high heat add oil (2 tbspn) + (1 nos) garlic chopped + (1 tspn) black mustard seeds, let them crackle + (1 tspn) red chilli powder. Take this mixture away from heat, add this hot seasoning to the curry pan and close the lid. 

Serve hot with rice.

Tips:

 Stirring continuously is required and very important

Add salt towards the end. 

Recipe: Vegetarian, contains nuts (optional)

Preparation time : 20 mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Serves : 5

All photograph's and text copyrights Trupti Rane's Spice Recipes and Trupti Rane's Spice Moments . Do not reproduce, copy without permission. All rights reserved.

Please use this recipe as a guideline and use your discretion to make the recipe or to make a substitution in the recipe. As results vary according to one's skills. 

Carrot, date and walnut cake

This is a simple recipe and this cake has an instant eat me appeal.

I start off by gently mixing dry ingredients 

Dry ingredients:

Sieve in a large bowl: 2 cups flour + 1 cup brown sugar (I made without sugar as dates were sweet) + 1 tsp baking powder + ½ tsp baking soda + 1 tsp cinnamon powder +1/2 tsp nutmeg powder + ½ tsp salt.

To dry ingredients add 1 ½ cup coarsely grated carrots + ½ cup chopped walnuts (or just simply break them)

Them moving on to 

Wet ingredients:

Soak for 15 mins (1 cup) dates in ½ cup boiling water and 1/4 cup warm milk. Dates will become tender, just smash them. When this mixture cools down, add ½ cup olive oil. Next whisk 2 eggs (or replace eggs with buttermilk or milk or curd 1 cup) and add them to the wet mixture. Then add Vanilla essence ½ tsp.

Mix wet ingredients with electric blender if required.  

Next gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and combine everything. Just smoothly fold, don’t over mix. 

Spoon the mixture in greased and lined cake tin. (Line the cake tin bottom with circular parchment paper)

Then gently tap the cake on kitchen platform to level the batter. 

Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius.

Bake at 180 degree celsius for 45-50 mins or until baked. (Baking time varies with oven, so just bake until the toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean).

Remove from the oven and cake tin.Then leave it to cool on a wire rack. 

Made with rich carrots, sticky dates and crunchy walnut, this cake is a good tea time treat . Enjoy.

Recipe: Contains Egg

Preparation time : 30 mins (includes 15 mins soaking time)Baking time : 45-55 minsServes : 10

All photograph's and text copyrights Trupti Rane's Spice Recipes and Trupti Rane's Spice Moments . Do not reproduce, copy without permission. All rights reserved.

Please use this recipe as a guideline and use your discretion to make the recipe or to make a substitution in the recipe. As results vary according to one's skills. 

Masale Bhaat

Masale Bhaat , a traditional Maharashtrian rice and a Maharashtrian wedding delight.

Rice: Soak (2 cups) basmati rice in water for 30 mins . Later drain out all of the water and keep the rice aside.

Vegetables : Slice  Gherkins (1 1/2 cups Tondali) and (1 cup) Aubergine  .  Then in a pot of water, add salt and turmeric. Place the diced vegetables in it . Bring the water to a boil and let the vegetables cook.  Do not over boil and make the vegetables mushy.   

Masala : In a blender add (2 tbspn) coriander seeds , (1 tbspn) cumin seeds , (1/2 inch) cinnamon , (4 nos) black pepper pods, (4 nos) cardamom pods, (2 nos) cloves, (8 nos) garlic, (1/2 inch) ginger,  (2-3 nos)  mace, (2 nos) cashew nuts, (1/4 cup) coconut and (1/2) nutmeg. Blend them in a fine paste.

In a pan add butter (ghee 3tbspn). When butter gets warm, add (1/4tspn) black mustard seeds (2nos) bay leaves , (10 -12 nos) cashew nuts , sliced onion (1 nos), spring onion (1/4 cup), (2 nos) green chillies and little coriander . Let it cook for few mins, mix well. Now add in the boiled vegetables and prepared masala . Cook this masala in oil well. Then add the rice and little salt (take care with salt as it was added earlier to boiled vegetables). Now add red chilli powder (1tbspn) and turmeric power (1/2 tspn). Mix well , take care rice should not break. Add (4 cups as 1 cup rice = 2 cups water) hot water .  Do not stir , rice might break. Close the lid , lower the heat and let this rice cook well. Water will get absorbed and rice will be cooked.

Take the pan of the heat and serve hot. Garnish with coconut and coriander.

Recipe: Vegetarian

Preparation time : 20 mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Serves : 4

All photograph's and text copyrights Trupti Rane's Spice Recipes and Trupti Rane's Spice Moments . Do not reproduce, copy without permission. All rights reserved.

Please use this recipe as a guideline and use your discretion to make the recipe or to make a substitution in the recipe. As results vary according to one's skills. 

Vegetable paneer chilli

Prepare batter : Just sift the cornflour (2 tbspn) + white flour (2 tbspn) into a mixing bowl add water whisking continuously until the batter is smooth and free of lumps add paneer cubes (250 gms) in batches, deep fry them till crispy golden brown Sauce : In a wok add oil 2 tbspn throw in finely chopped garlic (3 tbspn ) , cross cut green chillies ( 7- 8 nos), chopped ginger (3 tbspn) , tomato ketchup (4 tbspn), chilli sauce (1 tbspn) , sweet chilli sauce (1 tbspn) and soya sauce (4 tbspn) , mix well. Add 1 cup water, very little salt if required and throw in diced baby corn , red pepper, green pepper to the mixture bring it to boil to cook vegetables . Then tip the paneer into the sauce, along with chopped spring onion and leaves ( 2 tbspn) and stir. Simmer for few minutes. Serve hot with spring onion leaves

Recipe: Vegetarian

Preparation time : 20 mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Serves : 4-5

All photograph's and text copyrights Trupti Rane's Spice Recipes and Trupti Rane's Spice Moments . Do not reproduce, copy without permission. All rights reserved.

Please use this recipe as a guideline and use your discretion to make the recipe or to make a substitution in the recipe. As results vary according to one's skills. 

PuranPoli with Katachi Amti (sweet flat bread with curry)

A traditional Maharashtrian dish prepared for holi or padwa. 

Puranpoli :

·        Soak channa dal (1 ½ cup) overnight. Next day boil the channa dal till it is soft. Then drain out the water from it and keep aside. (This drained channa dal water is used later to make katachi aamti)

·       Prepare the puran (stuffing): On a medium heat, warm (1 tbspn) oil in a pan. Add the above drained channa dal; add jaggery (1 cup), cardamom powder (1tspn) , turmeric (1/2 tspn) and nutmeg powder (1 tspn). Let the mixture cook well, till it becomes smooth ( take care there should be no water. The consistency should be thick). Then sieve through a special utensil to get the required consistency.

    Prepare outer: Prepare rubbery dough by kneading the plain dough (maida 3 cups) with water, salt and oil (all added as per requirement for consistency and taste. Add less water and more oil). Knead well, and then leave the dough aside for 1 hour.

·         Puran poli : Prepare a cup with the above kneaded dough. Add the suffing –puran. Close the cup and roll it into a ball. Dip the ball in the flour and roll this ball with the help of rolling pin into a flat circular bread. Cook the bread on a hot griddle or frying pan. Cook on one side and then flip half way through to cook the other side. Add ghee on one side.

Katachi amti :

·        Add oil (1 tbspn) to a flat pan on a medium heat. Fry sliced onion (1 nos) and grated coconut (1 cup) till golden brown. Remove from the heat and let it cool . Now blend the mixture into a smooth paste

·       Then to a large pan, add oil (1 tbspn) . Let the oil warm on a medium heat. Then add finely chopped garlic (3-4 nos) to the oil. Add black mustard seeds (1 tspn), when they crackle add cumin seeds (1 tspn) , curryleaves (10 nos) and chilli powder (1 tspn) . Then add channa dal water ( 1 ½ cup). Add boiled chana dal (2 t bspn), jaggery 1 tbpsn and puran (1 tbpsn) . Also add the above onion and coconut paste. Finally add kokum (4-5 nos) and salt to taste .

·         Mix well , add water (1 cup) and boil into a curry.

Serve the puranpoli with ghee or coconut milk or Katachi amti.

Recipe: Vegetarian

Preparation time : 20 mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Serves : 4-5

All photograph's and text copyrights Trupti Rane's Spice Recipes and Trupti Rane's Spice Moments . Do not reproduce, copy without permission. All rights reserved.