Semi-homemade snack and sweet

Certain foods cannot be enjoyed alone, needs absolutely another complimentary side to elevate the main dish to another level. Our ancestors have tried and tasted before coming to this final conclusion for pairing food: parathas with pickle/butter, idli + sambar, soup with sandwich, etc...

But I found weird myself when someone served Gajar ka halwa along with vanilla ice cream, and the worst gulab jamun with ice cream. I just screamed NO! Is it a double dose of sweet? Or just want to sneak the unpalatable sweet they prepared with ice cream? Why not to savor the full flavor of Carrot halwa or gulab jamun alone? I can never accept this one has a palatable combo? Have you faced a peculiar combo or I am left alone in this world....
Samosas doesn't need a bang introduction. It is symbolized as Indian food in kids educational Arthur's game in US. So what even your pre-school kid have a knowledge of samosa. A crispy pastry snack filled with a spicy or non-spicy potato in triangle shape. Very popular street snacks in India, could be served as a light meal along with garbanzo beans curry, a simple green chutney, sweet chutney or even a dash of ketchup!
The process of making the samosa from scratch is bit long ! The spring roll wrapper is a short cut and the outer layer is very crisp and very opt to baked version. This one is purely semi-homemade.
Don't be intimated seeing all the steps!



Potato filling for samosa

Ingredients:

Potato: 2 medium boiled/peeled/mashed
Onion: one- diced
Amchur powder/dry mango powder: 1tsp
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder: 1 tsp
Coriander seeds: 1 1/2 tsp- Crushed slightly
Cilantro: 2 tbps minced
Oil: 1 1/2 tsp
Salt: adjust for your taste


Method:
Heat the oil in a pan. Sauté the onion until translucent, add the mashed potato, all the spices powders, salt and add 1/4 cup of water.
The potato mixture will thicken very quickly, sprinkle the coriander , garam masala and mix well and switch off the stove. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
Let it cool completely before stuffing in wrap.

To prepare samosa

Ingredients
Spring roll wrapper / Samosa wrap: one packet
Maida/all purpose flour: 1 tbsp
Water: enough to make thin paste

How to make Maida paste?
Mix the water in maida and make sure there is no lumps. The mixture can be watery. No matter.


How to wrap it/ form samosa?

Thaw the spring roll wrapper for 30 minutes at room temperature. Now cut the wrapper into 3 equal parts. Cover with wet kitchen towel until ready to use.

Look/Refer the diagram shown below. I am not too good to make the diagram but hope it will help someone.

Take two wraps together (one wrap sucks lots of oil while deep frying- it's best when if it is baked)

Start to bring the left corner to point 1 (right side)

Now fold back and bring to point 2 (left side)

It will be a cone shape (packet) .

Hold the shape in your left hand and take a spoon full of potato mixuture.
Fill the cone (do not over stuff) If the wrap tear, the mixture will come out will frying

Squeeze the cone slightly with your fingers, so the potato spread evenly.

Now fold/cover the open area, fold to point 3

After closing and getting a triangle shape:
At this point, spread the AP+water (liquid mixture paste) at the rest of wrap. keep the seam side down , cover with wet towel or you can freeze at this level.

Note:
while wrapping all the 3 corners , you should not have a hole (gap) make sure while wrapping, if there is gap, oil will flow inside the potato mixture!
Handle with caution the wrap it may tear.
Cover all the time with wet cloth!

Deep frying

Oil enough to deep fry.

Oil should be hot enough when you drop the samosas, otherwise they will be soggy.
Once dropped reduce to medium heat. Fry until they turn golden brown, drain in paper towel.

Baking in 375

Preheat the oven at 375 degree and arrange the samosas in baking sheet, Spray oil and bake approx 35 min, try to turn the other side in between the baking time!

Sending my both dishes to Rahin who is hosting Semi-homemade Indian event


For green chutney








Semi-homemade rasmalai sweet





Needed items:


Can of rasgullas: contains 20 pieces.
Milk mixture: 2 cups of skim milk and 1 can of evaporated milk (fat free)
Green cardamom: 6 pods powdered
sugar: 1/2 cup (minus 1 tbsp)

Bring to boil milk+ evaporated milk together. Add the sugar and cardamom. Let it cool .
Squeeze the rasgullas (remove 3/4 of sugar from each rasgullas)
Drop in slightly warm milk mixture
Refrigerate and serve