Make them big, small or somewhere in between for a speedy meat-free snack or starter.

What are Curry Puffs?

Curry Puffs are a pastry-wrapped snack popular across Asia. Many communities make their own versions, from Singapore to Thailand, but Curry Puffs are thought to have Malaysian roots.

Malay Curry Puffs are particularly beautiful with a spiral ‘shell’ that employs a technique similar to the one used to make Italian Sfogliatella.

As much as I’d love to do a tutorial on Malay Spiral Curry Puffs at some point, I have promised you some quick and easy plant-based dishes so here’s a delicious Vegan Curry Puff recipe you can make in a jiffy!

The vegetable filling

I’ve never met a curry puff I didn’t like. These two bite-sized morsels are so easy to prepare. Raid the fridge and use up any veggies you like.

Vegetables I use for Vegan Curry Puffs

• Carrots
• Peas
• Sweetcorn
• Edamame
• Potatoes
• Onions

Pre-cook all the veggies except for the onion until they’re tender. I microwave my potatoes and steam the carrots, peas, sweetcorn and edamame.

The curry powder

Indeed, one of the most important ingredients in Curry Puffs is the curry powder itself. I use this medium Indian-style curry powder. It’s the same one I like to use for dishes like Singapore Noodles and Katsu Curry.

Malaysian, Thai or even roasted Sri Lankan curry powder will all taste delicious, however.

We need to use a lot of curry powder in this recipe so whatever you choose, make sure it’s one you like the flavour of.

The pastry

I cheat and use shop-bought puff pastry for the flaky outer casing. The multiple layers of puff pastry give the Curry Puffs their signature ‘puff’ without the laborious task of making your own pastry.

Keep the pastry in the fridge right up until you’re ready to fold the curry puffs. Cold pastry will ensure the folding process doesn’t end in a soft, greasy and misshapen doughsaster!

The coconut milk wash or “glaze”

Before you bake, brush the Curry Puffs with a liberal slick of coconut milk mixed with turmeric for a gorgeous egg-free ‘egg wash’.

Since we’re using some coconut milk in the filling, it makes sense to echo the flavours on the outside, whilst on our way to golden perfection.

If you’d like your curry puffs to have a little shine, add 1 tsp agave to the mixture (optional).

How to fold Curry Puffs

Firstly, this is much more fun when you have someone to help you! Be sure to keep your pastry in the fridge while you work if your kitchen is particularly warm.

Take a square of pastry in your palm so it’s facing you in a diamond shape. Place around 1 1/2 tsp of the filling in the centre.

Bring the bottom point to the top to form a triangle and pinch to seal. Continue to pinch the open seams closed, ensuring you squeeze any air out as you seal.

At this point you can either pleat the edges or simply press with a fork to create a pattern around the edge. I love a twisty seam.

Starting from one side, pinch the pastry at the outer edge between your thumb and index finger.

Try not to press too hard or all the fat will leak out of the pastry (this is why it’s important the pastry is cold). After your first pinch, twist the pastry inwards and pinch again to keep in place.

Repeat all the way around the pastry and nip off any excess pastry when you get to the end.

Watch my detailed video to see the folding and pleating in action.

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

Can I use this recipe to make jumbo Vegan Curry Puffs?

Yes. Cut your pastry into 6 large squares rather than 12 squares per pastry sheet as directed in the recipe. Note that jumbo Curry Puffs will take 10-12 minutes longer to bake.

Other recipes you might like

• Vegetable Samosas
• Daal Kachori
• Gyoza Bhajia
• Halloumi 65

Can I prepare these Easy Vegan Curry Puffs ahead of time?

Yes. You can prepare either the filling in advance or even assemble them entirely.

To refrigerate curry puffs

Prepare the curry puffs as directed in the recipe, stopping before you brush on the coconut milk wash. Place on a tray and cover with cling film before refrigerating for up to 48 hours. Cook as per recipe.

Freezing instructions

Prepare the curry puffs as directed in the recipe, stopping before you brush on the coconut milk wash. Place on a tray and cover with cling film before freezing flat until solid.

Once completely frozen, you can place the curry puffs in a freezer-safe container or bag (up to 3 months). Do not defrost: Cook straight from frozen.

Are these Vegan Curry Puffs gluten-free too?

My version is not gluten free. However, you can buy gluten-free puff pastry in the shops. Be sure to read the label to ensure the product meets all your dietary requirements.

Print

Easy Vegan Curry Puffs

These Quick Vegan Curry Puffs are light, flaky and perfectly addictive. They’re stuffed with a mixture of curried vegetables, soy sauce and coconut milk.

Course Appetizer, Lunch, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Asian

Keyword pastry, potatoes, puff pastry, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian

Prep Time 50 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Equipment

• Large oven tray lined with baking parchment
• Pastry brush

Ingredients

For the Curry Puffs

• 250 g potatoes, steamed or microwaved with the skin pricked, peeled & roughly mashed (about 2 medium potatoes)
• 90 g carrots, very finely diced (1 large carrot)
• 40 g peas (I use frozen, thawed)
• 40 g edamame (I use frozen, thawed)
• 25 g sweetcorn (I use tinned, drained)
• 1/2 medium red onion finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped (use the leaves and stems)
• 1 1/2 tbsp mild or medium curry powder
• 2 tbsp coconut milk
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2x 320g sheets ready-rolled puff pastry, cold (be sure to check your brand is vegan and not made with butter)

For the coconut milk wash:

• 3 tbsp coconut milk
• <1/8 tsp ground turmeric (a very tiny pinch)

Instructions

To make the vegetable mixture:

• Once your potatoes have cooled, peel them using your fingers and break into rough pieces. Place them in a large bowl along with the rest of the cooked vegetables. It's best to work with cool or cold vegetables so this recipe is the perfect way to use up leftovers.
• Add the onions, coriander, coconut milk, soy sauce, curry powder, white pepper and salt. Mix well.
• Use a potato masher to mash the mixture. Most of the veggies should still be fairly whole but the potatoes mashed enough to form a cohesive ball when squeezed together. Think samosa filling.

To prepare the pastry:

• Keep the pastry in the fridge right up until you're ready to fold the curry puffs. Carefully unroll the first roll of pastry and set it on a flat work surface. Note: If your puff pastry is not already rolled, you'll need to use a rolling pin and some plain flour to roll it to about 35cm x 22cm.
• Cut the pastry into 12 equal squares. If you want to make jumbo curry puffs, roll appropriately and cut into 6 equal squares.

To fold the curry puffs:

• Take a square of pastry in your palm so it's facing you in a diamond shape. Place around 1 1/2 tsp of the filling in the centre. Bring the bottom point to the top to form a triangle and pinch to seal. Continue to pinch the open seams closed, ensuring you squeeze any air out as you seal.
• At this point you can either pleat the edges or simply press with a fork to create a pattern around the edge. I love a twisty seam. Starting from one side, pinch the pastry at the outer edge between your thumb and index finger. Try not to press too hard or all the fat will leak out of the pastry (this is why it's important the pastry is cold). After your first pinch, twist the pastry inwards and pinch again to keep in place. Repeat all the way around the pastry and nip off any excess pastry when you get to the end. Watch my detailed video to see the folding and pleating in action.
• Repeat this process for all the curry puffs. It's much more fun when you have someone to help you! Be sure to keep your pastry in the fridge while you work if your kitchen is particularly warm.

For the coconut milk wash:

• In a small bowl, stir together warm coconut milk and turmeric. If you'd like your curry puffs to have a little shine, add 1 tsp agave to the mixture (optional).

To bake the curry puffs:

• Arrange the curry puffs on a large baking tray lined with baking parchment. You may need to do this on two or three separate trays.
• Brush the curry puffs all over with the coconut milk wash. Bake in a preheated oven at 175°C/350°F for 25-30 minutes or until golden and puffy all over. Serve hot with your favourite sweet chilli sauce.

Notes

• If you’d like your curry puffs to have a little shine, add 1 tsp agave to the coconut milk wash mixture (optional).

Make ahead!

To refrigerate

Prepare the curry puffs as directed, stopping before you brush on the coconut milk wash. Place on a tray and cover with cling film before refrigerating for up to 48 hours. Cook as per recipe.

Freezing instructions

Prepare the curry puffs as directed, stopping before you brush on the coconut milk wash. Place on a tray and cover with cling film before freezing flat until solid. Once completely frozen, you can place the curry puffs in a freezer-safe container or bag (up to 3 months). Do not defrost: Cook straight from frozen.

Pin this recipe for later

If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Vegetable Samosas

Love Sanjana

The post Easy Vegan Curry Puffs appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

These vegetarian cheese twists can be ready in under 40 minutes, including prep time.

These Indian Cheese Twists are so simple to prepare and can be made with mostly store-cupboard ingredients. Serve with chai, your favourite glass of fizz or even as a dunker for soup. They’re divine!

These Indian Cheese Twists are…

Quick & easy
Vegetarian
Egg free
Easy to veganise

How to make Cheese Twists with Puff Pastry

The process is so simple. All you need are two sheets of ready-rolled puff pastry, cheese and any extra fillings of your choice. I’m using garam masala, onions, chilli flakes and fresh coriander for an Indian twist (literally!).

If you want to make vegan cheese twists, be sure to grab yourself a roll or block of vegan puff pastry. I use Jus Rol for a vegan version, along with plant-based cheese like Violife and an oat milk “eggwash”.

What’s in Indian Cheese Twists?

My favourite way to make Indian-style cheese twists is with puff pastry, a blend of two types of cheese (Cheddar and mozzarella), onions, chillies and this Homemade Garam Masala.

You can use shop-bought garam masala if you like and reduce or increase the amount of chillies as per your taste, too. I like them to be medium-hot.

How to twist Cheese Twists

Step 1

The most important thing is to begin with very cold pastry. Pop it in the fridge for at least an hour before you start. Only take it out of the fridge after you’ve prepared your filling ingredients.

Step 2

Take a sheet of puff pastry. Top it with your prepared cheese filling mixture, leaving a 1cm gap at the edges of the pastry.

Step 3

Gently press the cheese down with your hands, taking care not to press it into the pastry too hard. Top with another sheet of puff pastry and press again gently to compact the cheese so it doesn’t all fall out when you twist.

Step 4

Use your fingers to press and seal all the edges closed. You can add a small amount of water to wet the pastry if you like but I don’t always find this necessary.

Step 5

Return the sealed pastry to the fridge for 10 minutes or so to chill again. If your pastry is still super cold, you can skip this step.

Step 6

Cut the pastry into long rectangles about 5-6cm wide. My 320g sheets of puff pastry makes 6 large cheese twists.

Step 7

Now take your first cheese twist and use both hands to hold either end. Twist both hands in opposite directions (one going clockwise and the other anti-clockwise) to form a twisted shape.

How many twists you get depends on the size of the pastry. I get about 1-2 full twists with each hand. They will puff up in the oven so the shape won’t matter too much. They don’t have to look perfect.

Step 8

Brush with the eggless “eggwash” (turmeric, milk & agave combo) and sprinkle over some kalonji seeds. You can also use sesame seeds.

Step 9

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C/400F for 20-25 minutes until golden all over. Serve hot.

How to make Cheese Twists with shortcrust pastry

If you prefer shortcrust pastry, you can make this recipe with ready-rolled shortcrust sheets. As with the recipe below, ensure the pastry is very cold before you begin filling, cutting and twisting.

I recommend cutting each twist about half the size of the puff pastry version for a more dainty cheese straw to serve with drinks.

The result will be a little less puffy and more like a biscuitty cheese straw. Both versions are delicious but the puff pastry style will always have my heart.

Are supermarket Cheese Twists Vegetarian?

Supermarket-bought cheese twists are not always vegetarian. Some may contain cheese which is made from animal-sourced rennet. If you’re not sure, check the ingredients label. This will usually list the type of cheese in the product.

How to make “eggwash” without eggs

If you’ve been following me for a long time, you’ll remember these Mini Mushroom & Feta Pies. This was one of the first times I made an eggwash without eggs and the results were perfect.

Simply mix together warm milk of your choice, a very small amount of ground turmeric and agave. And there you have it. A perfect “eggwash”, minus the eggs.

Milk for spreadability, agave for a shiny finish and turmeric for this glorious egg-yellow colour. Don’t worry, the agave in such a small amount won’t make your finished bake taste sweet.

How to make Vegan Cheese Twists

Yes, it’s entirely possible! Many brands of packaged puff and shortcrust pastry are vegan. Read the label and most importantly, make sure it’s made with shortening instead of butter.

As for the cheese, you can substitute the dairy cheese for your favourite plant-based blend of cheese. There are tonnes of options on the market now, most made with nuts or coconut.

Finally, replace the milk in the no-egg “eggwash” with any plant-based milk of your choice. Enjoy your vegan cheese twists!

Can you freeze Cheese Twists?

Absolutely. I like to freeze these prior to the baking stage. This way, you can pop them on a lined baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and golden.

To freeze: Follow the recipe instructions up to the point before baking, arrange in a lined, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 months. Bake straight from frozen and do not allow frozen cheese twists to thaw.

Watch the video: How to make Cheese Twists

What flavours of Cheese Twist can I make?

Other delicious flavour options you have are pesto and olives, sun-dried tomatoes and wholegrain mustard or even a Greek-inspired version with spinach and feta.

For something more festive, try brie or camembert with cranberry sauce. The options are truly endless!

Indian Cheese Twists: Recipe

Print

Indian Cheese Twists

Ultra flaky, buttery cheese twists baked with a blend of Indian-inspired spices inside. Use ready-rolled puff pastry sheets for a quick-fix snack with drinks or even with tea for breakfast.

Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Indian

Keyword cheese, christmas, dinner party, masala, party, pastry, puff pastry

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

• 2 x 320 g sheets ready-rolled puff pastry cold
• 75 g mature Cheddar, grated (or vegan alternative)
• 75 g low-moisture mozzarella, grated or cubed into very small pieces (or vegan alternative)
• 1 small red onion very finely diced
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander finely chopped
• 1 tsp garam masala recipe linked below
• 3/4 tsp red chilli flakes
• 2 tsp kalonji seeds (nigella seeds)

For the egg-free "eggwash":

• 2 tbsp warm milk (any of your choice)
• < 1/8 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp agave

Instructions

• In a bowl, mix together the cheese, onions, coriander, garam masala and chilli flakes.
• Take your first chilled puff pastry sheet and set it out on a work surface lined with a sheet of baking parchment about the size of your tray. Top with the cheese mixture, leaving a 1cm gap at the edges of the pastry. Gently press the cheese into the pastry, taking care not to push it in too far. It just needs to be even.
• Top with another sheet of puff pastry and press again gently to compact the cheese so it doesn't all fall out when you twist.
• Use your fingers to press and seal all the edges closed. You can add a small amount of water to wet the pastry if you like but I don't always find this necessary.
• Return the sealed pastry to the fridge for 10 minutes to chill again. If your pastry is still super cold, you can skip this step.
• Cut the pastry into long rectangles about 5-6cm wide. Pop the twists on a large, flat baking tray on top of a sheet of baking parchment. My 320g sheets of puff pastry makes 6 large cheese twists.
• Now take your first cheese twist and use both hands to hold either end. Twist both hands in opposite directions (one going clockwise and the other anti-clockwise) to form a twisted shape. Don't worry if any cheese falls out, just put it back in.

For the egg-free "eggwash":

• Mix together the warm milk, turmeric and agave.
• Brush with the eggless "eggwash" (turmeric, milk & agave combo) and sprinkle over some kalonji seeds. You can also use sesame seeds.
• Bake the cheese twists in a pre-heated oven at 200°C/400°F for 20-25 minutes until golden all over. Serve hot.

Video

Notes

• Storage: Store in an airtight container in a cool place. Eat within 48 hours. To re-heat, pop the cheese twists in an oven preheated to 200C/400F for 3-4 minutes or in an air fryer at the same temperature for 2 minutes.
• To freeze: Follow the recipe instructions up to the point before baking, arrange in a lined, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 6 months. Bake straight from frozen and do not allow frozen cheese twists to thaw.
• For a vegan version of these Indian Cheese Twists: Use a vegan brand of puff pastry (Jus Rol in the UK and Pepperidge Farm in the US) have vegan products available. Use your favourite plant-based blend of cheese. I recommend using at least one mozzarella-style cheese for added cheese pull action. There are tonnes of vegan cheese options on the market now. Most are made with nuts or coconut. Finally, replace the milk in the no-egg “eggwash” with any plant-based milk of your choice. Enjoy your vegan cheese twists!

How to make Homemade Garam Masala

Homemade Garam Masala

Learn how to make a cracker of a Garam Masala blend using whole roasted spices. Here's a list of spices you need to jazz up any North Indian dish, from curry and pulao, to samosas and parathas.

Check out this recipe

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!

Pin this recipe for later

If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Homemade Vegetable Samosas

Love Sanjana

The post Indian Cheese Twists appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

This beautiful preparation of basmati rice and freshly-toasted spices takes serious thought, time and effort.

From soaking the rice, to frying onions, and if you’re really committed, making your own glorious Biryani Masala, this is no 30-minute meal.

Biryani is a food that you make for special occasions and sharing. It’s decadent, opulent and more of an emotion than it is a meal.

What is Ruffled Vegetable Biryani?

It’s a little twist on the original dough-sealed biryani with stunning golden filo pastry ruffles as the crowning glory. With each scoop of aromatic biryani, your friends and family can help themselves to a buttery pastry ruffle.

These scrunched up bits of filo just melt in the mouth and they’re SO simple to make (even though it looks super fancy!).

My favourite thing is that the butter from the pastry seeps down into the steamy rice to create rosy saffron steam that contrast with spices like cardamom and cloves. Indeed, this veg biryani will knock your socks clean off.

How to make Biryani Masala at home

Sure, a packet Biryani Masala mix has a place in the kitchen cupboard. It’s great for those days when you’re short of time, let’s not be snobby about it. However, there’s truly no match for a batch of homemade Biryani Masala.

I toast whole spices until the oils release and become fragrant. It’s as satisfying to make as it is to eat. Plus, everything is fresh and you get to see exactly what goes in.

My all-in-one Homemade Biryani Masala

My Biryani Masala is an all-in-one recipe. I add dried chilli, garlic and ginger to the masala so you don’t need to add their fresh counterparts when you cook your biryani.

I find this to be a welcome time saver since there are already so many other ingredients required.

How much Homemade Biryani Masala does this recipe make?

My recipe makes approximately 75g biryani masala, which is enough to make biryani for six people three times, give or take. Of course, this depends on the amount of masala you add to your dish.

My calculations are based on adding 2 tablespoons of biryani masala to a biryani for 6 people (around 225g rice and 1.5kg of vegetables or protein).

Tips for making Homemade Biryani Masala

• A dry frying pan is perfect for getting the spices nicely toasty. You don’t need to use oil for dry masalas.
• Don’t toast the spices over a high heat. A low heat will help coax the oils from the whole spices perfectly. Patience pays off.
• Keep the spices moving the whole time they’re in the pan to ensure they don’t burn. They have a tendency to catch in hotspots.
• Let the spices cool completely before you grind them.
• Store the homemade Biryani Masala in an airtight jar or container for up to six months. It’s okay to leave it beyond this date but the spices may lose some of their potency.
• I recommend making masalas in small batches so you can use them at their best.

What kind of Vegetable Biryani is this?

Absolutely not traditional is the answer. While it has all the flavours of a wonderful biryani, its presentation and method of preparation is unique.

I never claim authenticity in recipes because I believe recipes are in a constant metamorphosis, informed by our environments and tastes.

Purists will insist that there cannot be a vegetarian biryani as this dish has almost always been prepared with meat.

My opinion is that if there can be plant-based “chicken” burgers, vegan “steak” and other no-meat meats, anything is possible.

Every food has roots, or an origin of sorts. To deny the existence of something based on a belief that it shouldn’t be, doesn’t make it cease to exist. Enough chat. Let’s make biryani.

Why add pastry on top?

India’s most traditional biryanis are cooked in “Dum”. This refers to a seal of dough around the rim of a cooking pot so the food inside cooks in steam.

A seal ensures steam builds up inside the pot, plumps up the rice grains and infuses them with the flavours of spiced veg, crispy onions (in the biryani layers) and saffron.

Once you crack it open, the ‘Dum’, translated as “warm breath” will escape and you’ll be ready to pile mounds of biryani on your plate.

This Ruffled Pastry Vegetable Biryani takes inspiration from the dum method but isn’t wholly traditional. I sprinkle the biryani is sprinkled with saffron milk which, along with the rice and veg releases steam upwards.

The crispy filo pastry sits on top and since it’s spread with butter, the entire biryani soaks up the buttery drips that fall from above. It really is the veggie biryani of dreams.

Ruffled Pastry Vegetable Biryani: Troubleshooting

My biryani-making essentials (contains affiliate links)

• A wet/dry grinder with a powerful motor is your best friend when it comes to grinding your own masalas. It’s an invaluable tool for this Biryani Masala. I have a Boss one which is years old but this Premier Xpress Mixer/Grinder is amazing.
• Indeed, if you’re looking for a one-stop quick fix that’s suitable for lots of things, try a coffee grinder like this Bosch Coffee Grinder. You’ll probably only want to use it for spices though. Nobody wants biryani-flavoured coffee… or do they?
• All the spices you need for this biryani can be found here.
• I use a springform cake tin like this for my Ruffled Vegetable Biryani but a casserole pot like this one or this one is ideal.
• Indeed, you can use your favourite brand of Basmati rice for this biryani. Some of my favourites include this Dehraduni Basmati Rice or the classic Daawat Extra-Long Grain Rice.

How to make Homemade Biryani Masala and Vegetable Biryani

Print

Ruffled Pastry Vegetable Biryani

Aromatic vegetable biryani hidden beneath a layer of crispy, buttery filo pastry ruffles. This show-stopping vegetarian dish is inspired by "dum" cooking where pastry is used to seal a pot so the dish cooks gently in steam.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword rice, vegetables, vegetarian

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Sanjana

Equipment

• 1 x 26cm (10-inch) diameter springform cake tin, 10cm (4-inch) deep or cake tin, casserole or pie dish of a similar capacity
• Frying pan or pot

Ingredients

For the rice:

• 225 g long-grain basmati rice
• 2 L hot water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 green cardamom pods
• 5 cm cassia bark or cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 1 tbsp dried rose petals (optional)

For the vegetables:

• 1 tbsp ghee or oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 80 g cashews
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tbsp Biryani masala recipe below
• 150 g plain yoghurt
• 350 g potatoes cut into large chunks and fried until cooked and golden
• 200 g cauliflower florets fried until slightly golden
• 150 g carrots sliced into batons and steamed until 75% cooked
• 100 g peas I used frozen
• 100 g peppers sliced into large pieces
• 200 g paneer cubed and fried until golden
• 1 large onion sliced and fried until golden and crispy
• 150 ml water

You will also need:

• 150 ml hot milk
• 1 large pinch saffron
• 1 large onion sliced and fried until golden and crispy
• 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

For the pastry top:

• 500 g filo pastry sheets
• 200 g butter melted

Instructions

To prepare the rice:

• Gently wash the rice in cold water, changing the water out 2-3 times. Soak the rice in plenty of cold water for one hour.
• Heat a large pot of water (around 2L) over a medium-high heat. Add salt, cassia bark or cinnamon, 2 cardamom pods, 3 cloves and 1 tbsp optional rose petals. Bring to a boil.
• Add the rice and bring to a boil again. Simmer over a medium heat until the rice is 80% cooked. It should break when you press a grain between your fingers, not smush. Drain in a colander and set aside.

To make the vegetable mixture:

• Heat the ghee or oil in a large frying pan or saucepan. Allow to melt, and then add some whole cumin seeds. Sizzle for 20 seconds or so, then add tomato purée, cashews and biryani masala. Cook for a further 30 seconds, and then add plain yoghurt. Stir constantly, for about 2 minutes until the paste cooks through. You'll know it's ready when the oil separates from the paste. Turn the heat down low.
• Add potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, peas, peppers, paneer and fried onions. Stir well. Pour in around 150ml water and bring to the boil. Cook for no longer than 2 minutes and then switch the heat off.

To layer the biryani:

• Grease a springform cake tin, cake tin or pie dish with plenty of oil. Spread another third of the rice mixture in the bottom of the tin. Top with half of the vegetable mixture, some fresh mint leaves, fresh coriander leaves and fried onions.
• Add another third of the rice and the remainder of the vegetable mixture. Flatten it gently – don't press it down too hard. Top with some fresh mint leaves, fresh coriander leaves and fried onions.
• Layer in the final third of rice. Pour over the saffron milk and sprinkle some fresh coriander leave on top.

For the filo pastry ruffles:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
• Take the first sheet of filo pasty and generously brush it with the melted butter. Keep the rest of the pastry covered with a damp tea towel to prevent it from drying out. Scrunch the pastry up from one end to the other, like a rough concertina. Take one end and wrap it around into a spiral or rosette. You don’t have to be neat — the more rustic, the better.
• Place the scrunched pastry on top of rice, starting from the outside edge. Repeat for the remaining pastry until all of the rice is covered with ruffled pastry. This pastry top will help the rice and spices gently steam in the oven whilst the surface becomes golden and crispy.
• Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes until golden and crispy.
• Serve hot with your favourite biryani accompaniments. Raita and mirchi ka salan are my favourites.

Video

Print

All-In-One Biryani Masala

Aromatic masala that's perfect for any biryani preparation. Set aside your packet of biryani masala and try this beautifully-fragrant biryani masala inspired by the flavours of north India. Just add two tablespoons of masala per 1.5kg of vegetables or protein. No need to add additional ginger, garlic, chilli or salt because this masala contains it all.

Course Condiment

Cuisine Indian

Keyword biryani, masala

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Equipment

• High-powered wet/dry grinder or coffee grinder
• Frying pan or saucepan
• Container with a tight-fitting lid for storing the masala

Ingredients

• 20 cloves
• 20 black peppercorns
• 15 green cardamom
• 4 black cardamom
• 20 cm cassia bark or cinnamon sticks
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 2 blades mace
• 5 dried red chillies
• 2 tbsp dried rose petals
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 3 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 3 tsp dried garlic
• 2 tsp dried ginger
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp ajwain
• 2 tsp ground turmeric

Instructions

• Heat a dry frying pan or saucepan over a low heat.
• Add all the whole spices and toss to combine. Cook over a low heat for about a minute-90 seconds.
• Add the powdered spices, salt and sugar. Toss again and cook, stirring all the time to ensure the masala doesn't burn. This shouldn't take longer than 2 minutes. Allow to cool.
• Pile the spices into a spice grinder or the bowl of a mixer/grinder (recommendations for these are included in the blog post above). Blend until the mixture becomes a fine powder. You might need to stop and stir everything once or twice to ensure all the spices are getting some blade time.
• Pile the mixture into an airtight container or jar. This biryani masala will keep well for a year but is best used within 6 months.

Video

Notes

Makes approximately 75g biryani masala. This is enough to make biryani for six people three times, depending on how much masala you like in your biryani.

Pin this Ruffled Pastry Vegetable Biryani for later!

If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Saag Paneer

The post Ruffled Pastry Vegetable Biryani appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Here, I’ve combined all those glorious elements into another comfort food favourite – the pithivier. These traditional French pies are usually made with a frangipane filling but can also be savoury. I’ve opted to fill my discs of puff pastry with cauliflower cheese, butternut squash and a delicious blend of spices. In place of egg wash, they’re glazed with a thyme and honey brown butter which provides a gorgeously-golden finish.

The combination of butternut squash and a homemade gratin spice blend will give you all the autumnal feels you crave after a long day at work. If you don’t have butternut, you can use pumpkin or acorn squash instead. The gratin spice blend is unbelievable in everything from dauphinoise potatoes to mac and cheese. Make a big batch and stow it away in an airtight jar to give your oven-baked dinners an instant flavour boost.

These pithiviers can be made with puff or rough puff pastry, either homemade or shop-bought. If you’re in a hurry, shop-bought puff pastry is ideal.

The most important element here is to ensure the filling is completely cold before you encase it in the pastry. This will ensure the pastry bottom stays crispy. You can even assemble these a day ahead, cover in cling film and refrigerate – or freeze for another time.

Serve with a leafy green salad and follow up with a hot chocolate pudding.

Spiced Butternut and Cauliflower Cheese Pithiviers
Makes 6

Ingredients

700g puff pastry – shop bought or homemade

For the filling:
320g butternut squash, diced (2cm squares), cooked
300g cauliflower florets, chopped finely, cooked but not completely
1 tbsp olive oil
50g butter
50g flour
320ml whole milk
1 1/2 tsp gratin spice mix
120g sharp Cheddar, grated
1/2 tsp dried English mustard
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
2 green chillies, finely sliced
1 fat clove garlic, crushed
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 sprigs of thyme, stripped

For the thyme and honey brown butter glaze:
60g unsalted butter
3 sprigs of thyme, stripped
1 tbsp honey
Small pinch turmeric

For the gratin spice mix:
1 tbsp cloves
3 tbsp whole coriander seeds
2 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp mace
2 tbsp cardamom seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
4 dried red chillies
8 star anise

2 dried bay leaves

3-inch piece cinnamon, broken

Method

1. To make the spice blend: Toast the spices in a dry pan until aromatic. Allow to cool, then grind in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Pass through a fine-hold sieve and store in an airtight jar.

2. To make the filling: Melt the butter in a pan, add the olive oil and garlic. Next, add in the flour and stir to make a roux. Allow to cook gently, stirring all the time until very lightly golden. Whisk in the whole milk, a little at a time until fully incorporated. Add a little bit of the spice mix and keep whisking until hot but not boiling.

3. Next, add in the cheese, two kinds of mustard, chilli and keep whisking until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the thyme. Fold in the cooked squash and cauliflower. Set aside until cold.

4. To make the glaze: Melt the butter in a small saucepan and cook until very lightly golden brown. Add the thyme leaves and set aside to cool. When warm, stir in the honey.

5. Roll out just under half of the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 5mm thick. Cut out six 12 inch-diameter rounds. Take remaining pastry and roll to 5mm thick. Cut out six 14 inch-diameter rounds. Divide cold filling mixture among half the 12-inch pastry rounds, mounding up in centre and leaving a 1 inch border. Brush the edges with water and top with the larger pastry rounds, removing any air around the mixture and pressing edges to seal – I used the back of a spoon to seal them up properly. Brush tops with the glaze and score a scalloped pattern on the top of each with the back of a knife. Place on an oven tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

6. Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Bake the pithiviers for 25-30 minutes until completely puffed up and golden all over.

Serve with a leafy green salad, then go make yourself a hot chocolate before bed.

The post Spiced Butternut and Cauliflower Cheese Pithiviers appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

This chocolate tart makes me feel that way too. A crumbly, sweet shortcrust pastry base (without eggs, might I add), ridiculously smooth and rich chocolate filling with the most incredible roasted white chocolate swirl which takes me back to the days of sitting on the steps of our family shop eating Caramacs… except there’s loads more chocolate involved.

If you’ve never roasted your white chocolate, you’ve been missing out. Gone will be the days you insist dark chocolate is superior to white. This whole time you had forgotten one amazing detail… it is that white chocolate can be transformed into the most beautiful caramel you ever tasted. 

Inspired by the baking guru that is David Lebovitz, I set to work making the roasted white chocolate, following his brilliant instructions to the letter – and you should too. 

  
One tweak I made was that I added a small amount of coconut oil out of fear my chocolate would seize. It resulted in a super smooth caramelized white chocolate with a hint of exotic coconut that of course, was most welcome. 

The dark chocolate filling is a glorious ganache which requires very little effort and no baking whatsoever. The best thing about the filling is that it sets so beautifully after a couple of hours in the fridge.

Cut yourself a piece and feel the cool chocolate filling melt in your mouth. I think it’s time you had the recipe now.

Eggless Dark Chocolate, Almond and Roasted White Chocolate Tart
(serves 8-10)

For the filling:

300g 70% cocoa dark chocolate
100g good-quality milk chocolate
400ml double cream
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp almond extract

For the Roasted White Chocolate Swirl:

300g good quality white chocolate, chopped into small pieces
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp sea salt

For the pastry:

300g plain flour
125g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp icing sugar
3-4 tbsp buttermilk
Pinch of salt

Toasted flaked almonds, to garnish

Method

1. To make the roasted white chocolate, place the chocolate and coconut oil on an ovenproof tray. Place the tray in the oven and switch it on to 120C.

2. Allow to melt, stirring very gently every 10 minutes for around 60 minutes or until golden and caramel-like. Seriously, no matter how much you want to stick your finger in that melted chocolate – don’t. Instead, sprinkle over the sea salt and set aside.

3. To make the pastry: In a food processor, pulse together the ingredients for the pastry until you have a rough dough. Using your hands, bring the dough together on a clean surface. Don’t knead or handle it too much. Wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4. Lightly flour a large, clean surface and roll the pastry out until it’s 5-6mm thick. Roll it around your rolling pin and line a 9inch fluted tart tin with a loose bottom. If your dough tears slightly, don’t be afraid to patch it up. Leave some dough hanging over the edges. Place the tart on top of a flat baking sheet.

5. Place a large piece of food-safe cling film over the pastry and fill the top with flour. Pack it down slightly. This will ensure your pastry is beautifully even and doesn’t rise in the oven. Bake at 160C for 30 minutes.

6. Remove the tart from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cling film filled with flour. Use a fork to prick holes all over the bottom of the pastry and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes or until golden.

7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

8. To make the dark chocolate filling: Heat the cream on a low heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from the heat. Add the chopped dark and milk chocolate, almond extract and butter and stir very gently until you have a luxurious, even chocolate mixture.

9. Trim the sides of the tart case, cutting away the excess pastry. Fill the tart with the chocolate mixture. Take dollops of the melted white chocolate mixture and swirl into the tart – you’ll need around half of it. Put the rest in a jar and use it to sandwich cakes and macarons or just spread it on toast.

10. Sprinkle over the toasted flaked almonds.

11. Place the tart in the fridge for 3-4 hours or overnight.

Love Sanjana

The post Eggless Dark Chocolate, Almond and Roasted White Chocolate Tart appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Attention all paneer lovers! There’s nothing more satisfying than taking a big bite out of a crispy, spicy samosa with a fabulous filling. Whether it’s soft potato and pea, hearty mung daal or juicy tandoori paneer, these little triangles of heaven are an iconic element of Indian cuisine.

Let’s be honest, making samosas from scratch is a labour of love and well worth the effort once you’re finally able to take a spicy bite. My advice? Enlist the help of a slave to help with the rolling and folding.

I love nothing more than fresh samosa pastry made with chapatti dough. The hearty texture of homemade dough surpasses unsatisfying filo pastry samosas by a mile. Reminiscent of the samosas made by street vendors in the heart of Mumbai, and the kind Indian mothers make for their families, the roti dough pastry gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

A good tandoori paste is deeply aromatic, hot and sour. The combination of Kashmiri chillies, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and peppercorns makes this paste intensely flavourful and perfect for adding rich flavour to paneer. I make my own at home using my recipe below, however, you can buy it if you’re short of time. I won’t lie, shop-bought won’t be as good.

I use concentrated tomato puree to give my tandoori paste a rich red colour and also to add some of that traditional sourness which characterises good tandoori masala. Not a drop of food colour in sight.

You can also make these using fresh, homemade paneer but to be honest, I didn’t have the patience to press it long enough for it to be sliceable. Another thing worth mentioning is that traditionally, tandoori paste has yogurt in it to tenderise the paneer. Instead of doing that for this recipe, I add some cottage cheese to give it that yoghurt flavour and help bind the filling together (because of the little nuggets of cheese).

A handful of chopped spring onions and coriander gives the filling a hint of green colour and a burst of fresh flavour.

I serve these with sweet and sour tamarind chutney to cut through the richness of the paneer filling. My recipe for the chutney takes just 10 minutes and is delicious will lots of Indian starters. I’ll post a recipe for the chutney later this week. For now, here’s my recipe for the samosas.

Tandoori Paneer Samosas
(Makes 16)

Ingredients

For the tandoori paste:
1 tsp whole coriander seeds
8 black peppercorns
2 dried Kashmiri chillies
2 inches cinnamon
1 ½ tsp cumin seeds
1 star anise
4 cloves
Seeds of 4 green cardamom pods
1 black cardamom
1 tsp fennel seeds

3 tbsp concentrated tomato puree
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
2 tbsp ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced

To cook the filling:
1 tbsp oil
2 small onions, minced very finely
475g firm paneer, cut into 1/2cm pieces (I did it in rough pieces of various shapes for a more interesting texture than just cubed)
3 tbsp low-fat cottage cheese
150ml water

5 spring onions, chopped finely
Handful fresh coriander, chopped finely

For the pastry:
320g flour
160ml cold water
5 tbsp oil
½ tsp salt

Method

1. Toast the dry spices in a dry pan until lightly aromatic. Tip into a pestle and mortar and grind to a very fine powder. Mix in the tomato puree, lemon juice, sugar, salt, ginger and garlic.

2. To make the filling: heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add the onions. Cook on a medium heat for five minutes. Add the tandoori paste and 150ml hot water. Cook through for 15 minutes, stirring all the time. If the mixture becomes dry, add a splash more water and continue to cook.

3. Add the cubed paneer and cottage cheese. Continue to cook for 5 minutes. Allow to cool and then stir through chopped spring onions and coriander. Set aside.

4. To make the pastry: in a large bowl, mix together the ingredients for the dough. Knead until firm and non-sticky.

5. Get to work rolling out and lightly cooking your fresh pastry sheets (I rolled mine to around 4 inches- step 2). Use my step by step below as a guide. I cook my pastry sheets on a dry frying pan (step 7) making sure they do not brown. You just want them sealed enough so that you can work with them.

6. Sandwiching two circles of dough together with oil and flour and lightly rolling over the top of them (steps 3, 4, 5 and 6) makes the pastry thinner and the whole process a little quicker. When they are cooked, carefully peel them away from each other (step 8), then half the circles into semi-circles (step 9). Wrap these in a tea towel until you need to use them to prevent them drying out.

7. Next, in a small bowl, make a sticky paste from flour and cold water. You will need this to seal the edges of the samosas when you fold them.

8. See my tutorial for folding samosas from homemade pastry below. Ensure the filling is cool before filling the samosas.

9. Heat enough oil in a deep pan to deep fry the samosas on a medium heat until they are golden brown all over. Place on kitchen paper to drain away any excess oil.

Serve with Tamarind Chutney and lemon wedges.

Love Sanjana

The post Tandoori Paneer Samosas appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

They’re the snack of my father’s childhood and this is a recipe that together, we have developed over the years.

What are Kachori?

Deep fried snacks of flaky pastry and spicy filling. Filling options are endless but these moong daal Kachori are my favourite. Once you eat one, you’ll always go back for a second. Fact.

Kachori are like the forgotten little sister of samosa – the underdog starter that accidentally slipped through the fingers of Western restaurateurs.

What do Mombasa-Style Daal Kachori taste like?

I cannot emphasise enough how good lentils are with sweet, hot and sour flavours. The addition of sour green mango cuts through the richness of the daal and spices and balances the deep heat of the chillies, ginger and cinnamon perfectly.

These Kachori are inspired by those sold at the famous Bhagwanjis sweet mart in Mombasa, Kenya. My entire family raves about Kenya-style kachori and these, along with Bateta Vada, are guaranteed to put a smile on my dad’s face. And I can vouch that he has great taste.

What are some other popular Kachori fillings?

Kachori come in all flavours, shapes and sizes. You can stuff the classic flaky pastry with onions, crushed green peas, urad daal or even potatoes. The filling is always strong and spicy. This heat is what give Kachori thie robustness.

The three bite-sized snacks can be made into UFO-like patties. Top them with yoghurt, sev, chopped onions and tomatoes to make Kachori chaat.

What do you eat with Kachori?

These Kenya-style Kachori are delicious with Tamarind and Date Chutney but you can serve them with any chutney you like.

In India, Delhi is the state most famous for Khasta Kachori. There, the flat-style of Kachori (usually filled with onions and/or potatoes, or peas) are served with a green coriander chutney or red chilli. Kachori are always a delicious accompaniment to serve with Masala Chai.

Can I make Kachori ahead of time?

Absolutely. They’re a popular weddings party snack so if you’d like to feed a crowd, they are ideal. Make the filling for these Kachori a day or two in advance. Simply wrap in cling film keep in the fridge.

Having said this, I recommend that you make the dough on the same day.

How to make Kachori ahead of time

You can prepare Mombasa-Style Daal Kachori in advance and keep in the freezer for easy cooking later. Half-fry the Kachori for around 6 minutes until light blonde in colour. Allow to cool on absorbent kitchen paper and then pack into a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 6 months. Cook straight from frozen.

How to cook Kachori from frozen

Heat oil in a pan suitable for deep frying. The oil temperature should be 175°C/350°F. Fry the Kachori in small batches until golden brown and piping hot, about 4 minutes.

To oven bake or air-fry half-fried Kachori

While these Kachori may not be suitable for baking or air frying, half-fried and then frozen Kachori can be reheated in the oven or air fryer. Cook from frozen at 175°C/350°F for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Alternative cooking methods for Kachori

It’s possible to cook Kachori in an appam or paniyaram pan but the overall look and texture will be different to fried Kachori. I don’t do it but if you like, you can try that.

How to make perfect Kachori pastry

The trick to perfect kachori is to ensure the pastry is short, yet pliable enough to wrap thinly enough around the filling without creating holes which may break them when you fry them.

Make sure your kachori are perfect by tapping the pastry once cool – they should sound hollow.

Toasted semolina will give the pastry a delicious depth of flavour.

Why is my Kachori pastry breaking?

Not enough oil/fat or the dough has not been kneaded enough. Kachori dough must be short so fats are imperative. Add too little and the pastry will be thick and doughy. Knead the dough for at least 8 minutes and then rest for 30 minutes so the gluten has a chance to relax.

Why is my Kachori dough thick and soft?

Not enough water. Water not ice cold. Ensure you add ample ice-cold water to the dough for a crispy finish. If your Kachori pastry is thick and soft, the water was not cold enough to create shortness and flakiness.

How to wrap Kachori

To form the Kachori, take a portion of dough. Press it out to flatten onto your palm, about 5cm wide. Place the formed daal filling in the centre and gently pull the pastry around the daal to cover.

Pinch the dough closed and remove excess dough using the length of your index finger and thumb. Try to use pull gently from the top so that gravity naturally pulls the Kachori down. This will give the Kachori a very thin and even coverage.

How to make vegan Kachori

Replace the ghee in the pastry for the same measure of vegan butter or oil. Then follow the recipe as directed.

Mombasa-Style Daal Kachori recipe

Print

Mombasa-Style Daal Kachori

Crispy bites of pastry-covered daal. These kachoris are inspired by the ones sold at the famous Bhagwanjis sweet mart in Mombasa, Kenya. My entire family rave about these Kenya-style Kachori with moong daal and sour green mango.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine African, Indian

Keyword black daal, kachori, moong, pastry, snacks

Prep Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 28 kachoris

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

For the pastry:

• 450 g plain flour (all purpose/maida)
• 80 g coarse semolina (lightly toasted in a dry frying pan)
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 4 tbsp ghee (soft but not melted)
• 5 tbsp any flavourless cooking oil (I used rapeseed)
• 275 g ice-cold water

For the filling:

• 400 g moong daal (yellow, skinless)
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 225 g raw green mango, peeled and grated (about 2 mangos)
• 2 tbsp any flavourless cooking oil (I used sunflower)
• 110 g onion, very finely chopped (1 medium onion)
• 2 tbsp grated ginger
• 6 thin green chillies, finely chopped
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 125 g crushed sev or gathia
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 50 g sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 L any flavourless cooking oil for deep frying

Instructions

To make the daal filling:

• Wash the moong daal in plenty of cold water. Drain and repeat 2-3 times. Allow the daal to soak in hot water for 2 hours.
• Drain the soaked daal and place in a pot filled with plenty of water. Add ground turmeric and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and simmer for around 10-15 minutes until al dente, about 90% cooked. Keep checking and remove from the heat when the daal breaks when pressed between your fingers. It shouldn't mash completely. Drain.
• Heat oil in a frying pan. Add finely-chopped onions, minced ginger and chillies. Stir well and sauté just until the onions have softened, about 2-3 minutes. The onions shouldn't brown.
• Add the onion mixture to the cooked and drained daal, along with the grated raw mango, ground cinnamon, ground fennel seeds, ground cloves, salt, sugar, sev and fresh coriander leaves. Stir the mixture well to combine. It might seem like a lot of spices, salt and sugar but Kachori filling must be strong. The daal is very bland by itself and requires this amount of seasoning to produce a good result.

To make the dough:

• Place the plain flour in a bowl, along with semolina and salt. Mix briefly to combine.
• Add the ghee and oil and use your fingertips to rub the flours and fats together, similar to making shortcrust pastry or a crumble. This process is called "moarn" in Hindi. The step is complete when the flour holds together in a solid mass when squeezed together. It should crumble under gentle pressure.
• Next, add the water and mix to form a shaggy dough. Turn out onto a clean work surface and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
• Pop the dough back into a bowl and cover. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

To assemble the Kachori:

• Once the daal mixture has cooled, mash it using a potato masher or pau bhaji masher. Whole daal should still be visible in the mixture but it should be mashed enough so that it holds together when you press it into a ball shape.
• Form the daal mixture into approximately 24g balls. They shouldn't be too large. Arrange on a tray or large plate.
• Divide the rested dough into 18g portions and cover again.
• To form the Kachori, take a portion of dough. Press it out to flatten onto your palm, about 5cm wide. Place the formed daal filling in the centre and gently pull the pastry around the daal to cover. Pinch the dough closed and remove excess dough using the length of your index finger and thumb. Try to use pull gently from the top so that gravity naturally pulls the Kachori down. This will give the Kachori a very thin and even coverage.
• Roll the ball gently between your palms ensuring there are no creases or holes in the dough, especially where you sealed. If there are, the Kachori will burst whilst frying and the filling will become really greasy. Repeat for the rest.

To fry the Kachori:

• Heat oil in a pan suitable for deep frying. The oil should be at least 6cm deep.
• Once the oil temperature reaches 160°C/320°F, you're ready to fry the Kachori.
• Carefully place the Kachori into the hot oil, one at a time. Fry only a handful at a time depending on the size of your pan. If you add to many at once, the oil temperature will drop and this will affect how your Kachori cook.
• Try not to move the Kachori around too much at first. Once the outer coating of pastry firms up, you can begin to move them around so that they cook evenly. Use a perforated spoon or frying spider to bob the Kachori around in the oil. Don't increase the temperature. A low frying temperature is ideal so that they Kachori become very crispy. The semolina will ensure they don't absorb a lot of oil.
• The Kachori will take around 8 minutes over a medium-low heat. After this time, you can increase the oil temperature to 175°C/350°F for the last 2 minutes. The Kachori will turn a beautiful golden brown colour. Once they have reached this point, lift the Kachori out of the oil and place them onto a plate lined with kitchen towel to absorb any excess oil.
• Repeat the frying process for all of the Kachori, ensuring you allow the oil to cool down to 160°C/320°F before you fry every new batch.
• Serve the Mombasa-Style Daal Kachori with my Tamarind & Date Chutney (recipe linked below).

Video

Notes

Make ahead

You can prepare Mombasa-Style Daal Kachori in advance and keep in the freezer for easy cooking later. Half-fry the Kachori for around 6 minutes until light blonde in colour. Allow to cool on absorbent kitchen paper and then pack into a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 6 months. Cook straight from frozen.

To cook Kachori from frozen

Heat oil in a pan suitable for deep frying. The oil temperature should be 175°C/350°F. Fry the Kachori in small batches until golden brown and piping hot, about 4 minutes.

To oven bake or air-fry half-fried Kachori

While these Kachori may not be suitable for baking or air frying, half-fried and then frozen Kachori can be reheated in the oven or air fryer. Cook from frozen at 175°C/350°F for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Alternative cooking methods

It’s possible to cook Kachori in an appam or paniyaram pan but the overall look and texture will be different to fried Kachori. I don’t do it but if you like, you can try that.

Pin this recipe for later!

If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Chilli-Garlic Mogo

Other recipes you might like

The Best Vegetable Samosas

Learn how to make amazing Indian vegetarian samosas stuffed with the classic combination of potatoes and peas. Includes a detailed step-by-step recipe for folding samosas with homemade pastry.

Check out this recipe

The Meatless Seekh Kebab

The ultimate vegan seekh kebab recipe using green bananas and chickpeas. Make them in the oven or cook over a barbecue for smoky, tandoori flavours. Serve with salad, naan and your favourite chutneys and dips.

Check out this recipe

Makai Paka & Maraghwe Bhajiya

Check out this recipe

The post Mombasa-Style Daal Kachori appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

It’s safe to say that when it comes to pastry-making, I’m no professional. However, when I was challenged via Facebook, to come up with a hearty lunch idea, I was determined to deliver something good. And we all know pies are good.

These mini pies (made in a muffin tin because as I’ve discovered, I’m rather ill-equipped) are stuffed with a mixture of sautéed Portobello and chestnut mushrooms, sharp feta cheese, kalonji seeds and lemon thyme. They’re perfectly portable so you won’t have any trouble taking a couple to work, and even though they’re small, they’ll fill your belly no matter what.

Hot water crust pastry is usually made with lard because butter is seen to have too much of a rich flavour for the traditional pork pies it’s used to make. Obviously there’s no lard lurking in my fridge, but there is plenty of butter. I think the butter in my pastry can stand up to the vegetarian filling because of the robust mushrooms and sharp feta having enough flavour to balance it out. However, you can use vegetable shortening if you prefer.

So, how do you get that golden yellow colour on your pie? I’ve been trying to work out an alternative to egg yolks for ages. Usually, recipes say to use milk as an alternative to egg wash, but I always find the pie top looks really anaemic when it comes out of the oven. Then I realised the answer had been staring me in the face the whole time – I warmed my milk and whisked in ½ teaspoon of turmeric before brushing onto the pastry lids. It wasn’t sticky and once baked, did a great job in colouring the pie tops, just like egg yolk would do.

I’ve used kalonji seeds and thyme to flavour the pie filling because they’re gentle and aromatic enough to compliment the mushrooms and cheese – which, by the way, don’t need much help becoming delicious at all.

I’d serve these with real English chips, salad and Yorkshire’s finest yellow lemonade (obvs Ben Shaws), either for lunch or dinner.

Mini Mushroom, Kalonji and Feta Pies
(makes 6 pies)

Ingredients

For the filling:

500g mushrooms, sliced (I used a mixture of Portobello and chestnut mushrooms)
100g feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp kalonji seeds
1 tsp lemon thyme, picked through
½ tsp black pepper

For the vegetarian hot water crust pastry:

235g plain flour
55ml water
50ml skimmed milk
75g unsalted butter
1 tsp salt

Milk and turmeric to brush the pastry lids

Method

1. First, make the filling. Heat the butter in a large pan and add the kalonji seeds and garlic. Throw in all the mushrooms and combine. Leave on a low heat for five minutes, then once some moisture is released from the mushrooms, turn up the heat. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the thyme and black pepper. Remove from the heat, place in a colander and allow to cool.

2. Once the filling is completely cooled, squeeze as much moisture as you can out of the mushrooms. Make sure you squeeze hard, otherwise your pastry will have a soggy bottom. Once you’ve done this, fold through the feta cheese and refrigerate.

3. Preheat the oven to 160°C.

4. To make the pastry, heat the water, milk and butter in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then add in the flour. Stir with a spoon until it comes together, then turn out onto a floured surface and knead quickly until smooth and uniform.

5. Divide the dough into 6 even pieces, reserving 1/3 of each ball for the pie lid. Roll the first piece into a ball and use a rolling pin to make a circle, about 1/2cm thick to fit inside the hole of a muffin tin. Place inside the hole of the muffin tin and press to like the base, leaving a little overhang. Do this for the remaining 5 pieces of dough.

6. Fill each pastry case with mushrooms mixture, pressing down gently to make sure you get enough in.

7. Next, roll out the lids using the smaller dough balls, so they’re large enough to cover the pies and also allow you to crimp the edges to the little overhang you left on the bases. Make sure there are no gaps between the bases and lids.

8. Heat a little bit of milk in a bowl and add enough turmeric to get an egg yellow colour. Brush the tops of the pies.

9. Poke a small hole in the tops of each pie to allow steam to escape.

10. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until golden.

Do you have a recipe request? Ask me on Facebook or Twitter.

The post Mini Mushroom, Kalonji and Feta Pies appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Like Beyoncé, who transforms into her alter-ego, the confident ‘Sasha Fierce’ on stage, I had to take on a new persona before I embarked upon making my first pastry for the latest Food Network UK recipe challenge using seasonal peaches.

But a three-octave vocal range and bootylicious behind wasn’t going to help me in the kitchen – not today anyway. To make the perfect tart, I would need to become someone whose skills lay in the art of flour and butter, a pastry mastermind. And then it hit me – I needed to become Andy Bates.

The recipe itself is a simple concept. It’s a pepped-up version of the very English Bakewell Tart, using traditional ground almonds in the tart shell, peach jam, an eggless almond sponge mix, fresh peach slices and a cardamom-spiked mascarpone cream to serve. Sounds adventurous but if I, the world’s worst pastry maker, can do it, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Be sure to check out the blog post and recipe and please leave a comment for my viewing pleasure.

I’m going to be focusing on recipe requests in the forthcoming months as I have as pile of requests as tall as myself

The post Eggless Peach and Cardamom Bakewell Tarts appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Mughlai cuisine is one of my new favourites, with its use of only the most aromatic spices, flowers and nuts. Indeed, it’s no wonder it was reserved for only kings and queens of the Mughal Empire.

The individual okra are then drenched in a sweet and tangy sauce laced with cardamom and made creamy with ground cashews.

Melt in the Mouth Paneer Kofta

The softest melt in the mouth kofta coated with the silkiest, delicate spicy-sweet sauce made with a honey, fennel, cardamom, tomato, almond and cashew nut sauce.

Creamy Pistachio and Cauliflower Curry

I’ve laced this with whole black peppercorns which soften in the simmered sauce and give the overall dish a very deep, gentle heat. The delicate flavour of sweet pistachios is in fact, a beautiful match for tender, textured cauliflower. It also stains the white cauliflower with the lightest hue of green imaginable.

Mughlai Apricot Biryani

With this biryani recipe, juicy apricots and pineapples are layered up with fluffy rice, spicy potatoes, sweet onions, aromatic saffron and kewra water (screwpine extract).

Peshwari Naan

Sultanas and coconut are very traditional ingredients in Peshwari Naan, which can be stuffed with a sweet filling and cooked in a super hot tandoor (clay oven). You can be sure that a good naan will be soft, slightly chewy, a little charred in places and finally, drenched in butter.

Classic Shrikhand

I’m adding this to the banquet menu not because it’s an authentic Mughlai dish, but because it’s rich, opulent and incredibly well-suited to this particular style of cooking.

Persian Chocolate Truffle Tart

The delicate flavour of white chocolate, with honey and rosewater is the basis of the tart, whilst the saffron adds a luxurious perfumed flavour.

Rose and Pistachio Baklava

Sweet rose rice and traditional spiced nuts are enveloped in thin, crisp filo pastry layers, then drenched in sugar syrup and left to absorb until chewy and divine.

Cinnamon and Orange Blossom Kataifi

Not sickly sweet, but slightly sweet, nutty and deliciously crunchy. The kind of sweet that has a delicate spice and fruitiness, so much so that when you take a bite it sings through your veins.

 

Qawah

A spiced espresso-style after dinner beverage which can accompany desserts and pastries like the ones pictured above

 

Spiced Milk

Spiced milk is the new hot chocolate – this is all you need to know.

Gather the troops, drag them into the kitchen (regardless of whether they’re kicking and screaming) and create a Mughlai-inspired banquet.

I’m assuming my invitation is already in the post.

The post Mughlai Banquet Menu appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.