Samosa Pinwheels

One of my favorite party appetizers are these beautiful looking and amazingly tasty 'Samosa Pinwheels'. What's not to like??? Nothing can go wrong with ...Spicy stuffing made with mashed potatoes and warm spices rolled up into puff pastry sheets and then baked to crispy perfection! YUMMMMM..OOO! Baked a large batch for a party at work tomorrow.

The trick however, is getting this beautiful pinwheels pattern. I have had these pinwheels before and not all were able to exhibit this beautiful pattern. So here goes the step by step recipe-

 ** The trick in using 'lump free' filling, spreading it in an even layer and rolling into a tight roll before slicing.

Recipe:
4 Potatoes boiled and washed well (no lumps)
1/2 onion finely chopped
2tsp ginger garlic paste
1tsp chopped curry leaves
1 tsp garam masala powder
1tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2tsp cumin seeds
1/2tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Kasoori methi leaves
Salt
4tsp Oil

1 Puff pastry sheet (Thawed as per package instructions)

Method:
1) Heat the oil in pan. Add mustard seed, cumin seeds, curry leaves and chopped onion. Sauté for 2-3 mins.
2) Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala powder, mashed potatoes, salt and kasoori methi. Sauté the filling for few mins. The filling should have no lumps. Let the filling cool for 1hr.

** Pre Heat the oven to 400F

3)  Roll out the thawed puff pastry sheet. Spread the potato filling evenly on to the sheet, about 1.5cm in thickness. Start rolling the sheet tightly from one end, into a roll.

4) Slice the roll in the center. Wrap the rolls into wax paper and chill in refrigerator for 20mins.

5) After 20 mins, slice the roll. Place the pinwheels on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.

6) Bake the pinwheels at 400F for 15-20 mins till golden brown. I like to turn them half way through the baking on the other side to bake evenly on both sides.

7) Serve hot along with your favorite sauce. Enjoy these delicious beauties!

And...You know my favorite! I will of course serve these with "Maggie Hot and Sweet" Sauce :))

Dorayaki (Weekend 10: Japan)

Around the World in 30 Weekends!! The segment I wish to complete by cooking a dish from 30 different countries on 30 weekends.

Weekend 10: Japan
Dish : Dorayaki (Japanese Pancakes)

Today is Father's Day and for a special breakfast...We tried Japanese pancakes called 'Dorayaki' (shown in the Doraemon cartoon).

 These have a uniform brown appearance, characteristic texture and are eaten as a sandwich of 2 pancakes with a 'Anko :red bean paste' sweet filling. 

I obtained the Recipe from:
http://cafegarima.com/2015/06/12/dora-cake-or-dorayaki-or-fulffy-golden-pancake-sandwich-from-japan/

These were one of the best pancakes I ever had!!

We just sandwiched them with good old Nutella and Strawberry jam

Watermelon Dessert Pizza

It's summer and is sizzling hot in here! This kind of weather calls for cool and light desserts which won't leave you feeling heavy after eating them! Fruits, especially watery fruits like watermelon and berries are perfect for these kind of desserts. And best of all.....NO COOKING!!
Just cut and assemble and chill...fabulous looking dessert is done!

Here is how to make this Watermelon Dessert pizza:

Cut out a circular slice from central portion of a watermelon. 

Top with cut up berries/ fruits, chocolate chips and drizzle some frosting/ melted chocolate.

 Chill in refrigerator for 15 mins.Cut up like pizza wedge and enjoy!!

"Princess Cake"

It was 'A's 5th birthday and she is in LOVE with princesses.I love princess this... I love princess that... is in daily conversation at least 10 times a day!

I had decided I wanted to make her a 'princess cake', but just wasn't sure how that is going to work on a week day evening of her birthday. All the previous versions I had seen of the cake called for special molds to make the evening gown like shape, or then bake 3 different cakes and carve them into evening gown like shape.All those seem too labor intensive.

As I was driving back from work...(it is 'me' time and my thinking time for me :)) I had an idea of this 'semi homemade' version of the cake:

I picked up a small chocolate 'bundt' cake from the grocery store, some strawberry icing and some sugar pearls and made this fabulous looking 'Princess Cake"

You need:
1) A small chocolate bundt cake (dome shaped cake with a hole in the center)
2) A princess doll (Check for the height of the doll or use only the upper body)
3) Some strawberry icing
4) Sugar pearls

Method: 

1) Place the doll in the center of the baked bundt cake in the hollow portion.Secure with tooth picks and icing if needed. I did not have too.

2) Decorate the Bundt like a princess gown as desired with icing and sugar pearls. 

3) You can decorate the upper princess portion with some icing to match up the gown

Done!!

Masala 'Braids'

A quick evening snack on my mind as I was driving back from work. I have to admit how-much-ever I complain about my hour long commute, it fruitful at times. It is when I listen to my favorite songs.It is when I get to 'think' peacefully and 'too much' ;p (as I like to do). It is also, when I get these 'creative' ideas about 'blog' food!

So, I had this can of buttermilk biscuit dough sitting in the refrigerator. Molding it into 'braids' was fun and they looked so beautiful and made a yummy tea time snack!

Ingredients:
1 Can of Jumbo Buttermilk biscuit dough (makes 8)
2 tsp Sesame seeds
1 tsp chopped cilantro and mint leaves
1 tsp Olive oil
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp finely minced garlic
1/4 tsp black ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 375F
2) Roll out one biscuit dough circle. Cut into 3 parts.Roll into tube like.

3) Press together the 3 tubes at one end and weave into braids. Press the ends together firmly to stick.Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4) Brush with Olive oil.Sprinkle with Sesame seeds, salt, chili powder,garlic, cilantro and mint.
5) Bake in the pre heated oven for 8-10 mins, till golden brown

6) Serve immediately with your favorite sauce

Raita Cups

I love to transform recipes to give them a modern touch.You will find many such modifications in my blog...
When it comes to food...I believe "Look does matter"....because You eat with your eyes first as they say!!

One such attempt was to make Modak with a modern twist...and the result was "Baklava Modak" which were published in Mid-day newspaper:
 http://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/2012/sep/160912-Modak-goes-modern.htm

Today I made these lovely looking Cucumber cups and filled them with Raita to make a Modern looking and healthy appetizer---- "Raita Cups".
So easy to make...yet so beautiful looking!!

All you need is:
1 Cucumber
1/4  red onion finely chopped
2tbsp thick yogurt/ Greek yogurt/ strain water out of regular yogurt
2 pinches red chili powder
salt, sugar
Cilantro for garnish

Method:
1) Peel cucumber like this...leaving alternate bands of skin ..to get a pattern on the cups.

2) Cut into 5-6 large pieces and core out the center

3) Mix onion, yogurt, chopped cored out pieces of cucumber,salt, sugar, red chili powder to make raita
4) Spoon the raita into the cucumber cups

5) Garnish with cilantro...keep cold till ready to serve

Larabar like "Healthy Chocolate bars"

I love the 'simplicity' of the larabars.No long list of artificial ingredients....just a few ingredients making a nutritious and delicious snack.They are still high in calories.....but nutrition packed calories..not the 'empty' kinds.
The base is almost 'Mejdool dates' every time....and then you can flavor them by adding different ingredients.The result is a 'chewy' delicious bar! There are a zillion varieties like...Cashew cookie, banana bread etc etc

I had read this recipe to make homemade larabars on:
http://mywholefoodlife.com/2013/02/09/homemade-chocolate-larabars/
So simple and easy to make...it was done in minutes!

Ingredients: Just 3!!

6 Mejdool dates de seeded
3/4 cup Almonds
1/3 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:
Just Pulse everything together in a mixer till it starts to come together....press into bars...cut...DONE!
I store mine in the refrigerator.

Happy New Year 2014 with Colorful Mini Idlies made with Vegetable Purees!!!

Here's Wishing You and all the Lil Ones a Happy and Healthy New Year 2014 filled with lots of Colorful veggies and fruits!!!

 It was New Years Party and I was planning on making Idlies. I had seen 'Colored Idlies' on a food forum I subscribe to and couldn't resist making these lil nutrition packed bite-size idlies for the Lil ones.I was surprised that the vegetables did not impart much of a taste to the idlies and gave gorgeous colors. They looked too pretty to be real and can make the Prettiest of the Appetizers!!

Doesn't it look like a Artist's Color palette? 

Batter-

 After steaming the idlies-

 Recipe:

1 Cup Urad dal

2 Cups Rice

Salt

2tsp Oil

Oil Spray

Green peas puree(about 2tbsp for 1/2 cup batter)

Grated beets(about 1tsp for 1/2cup batter)

 Turmeric (about 1/2tsp for 1/2 cup batter)

Method:

1)Soak the dal and rice together for 4 hours.
2) Grind into fine paste in a mixie/blender with water to make a semi-thick consistency batter.
3) Ferment overnight till the batter doubles in size ( I pre-warm the oven for 8 mins on the oven 'warm' setting.Then turn the Oven OFF.Put the batter in the oven and cover with a lid.OR you can leave the oven light on overnight to make some warmth in the oven and help the batter rise.)
4) Just before cooking Idlies, add the salt, stir gently 2-3 times.Over mixing will result in flat idlies.
5) Spray the idli stand  (I used a microwaveable min idli stand) with oil cooking spray. Add vegetable puree to 1 cup batter in separate bowls.Mix gently.Add more puree if needed to achive desired color. 

 

6)Add batter to the idli molds and steam for 15-20 mins .

7) Serve steaming hot along with Chutney/ Sambar or Skew them into skewers/ toothpicks for the Prettiest of Appetizers!