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Incredible Indian

October 16, 2012 by Cathy Arkle 13 Comments

Photography by Cathy Nelson Arkle

Trying to explain Indian cuisine is like describing quantum physics. I love both, but they are best left to an expert. India’s cuisine is anything but uniform for many reasons: its 5000-year-old history, numerous settlers with diverse belief systems and distinct geography differences.  But… there is a common thread.

Significant Spices

The French have their sauces, the Mexicans have their chilies, the Italians have their pastas, and the Indians have their spices.

India produces 70% of the global spice market. They grow about 50 of the 80 varieties of spices harvested worldwide.

A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, or bark primarily used for flavoring, coloring or preserving food.  Spices are considered aphrodisiacs by many cultures across the globe. It is believed their intense flavor heightens your emotions.

Spices are generally acquired in their dry form, however, they can also be purchased fresh. A whole dried spice has a longer shelf life than its ground form. Spices are rarely sold fresh, for example, turmeric, and therefore must be purchased in their ground form.

Chef Carol Cotner Thompson laid out spices for us to experience and commit to memory for future use. She said these spices are the building blocks for cooking Indian food.

photography by cathy nelson arkle

Must have spices: White Pepper, Black Pepper, Coriander, Panch Phoron, Green & Black Cardamon, Cinnamon, Cassia, Fennel, Ajwain, Cloves, Asafoctroa, Nigella , Cumin, Ground Ginger, Saffron, Turmeric, Garam Masala, Fenugreek Leaves.

On a side note: Curry is not a spice, but a generic term for sauce-based dishes.

Photography by Cathy Nelson ArklePhotography by Cathy Nelson Arkle

I had the opportunity to visit and buy spices at the Sahakari Spice Farm in India’s smallest state of Goa.

Photography by Cathy Nelson Arkle

Of all the spices I saw, it was the beauty of the vanilla bean flower that impressed me.  I could go on and on about how beautiful India is, but I’ll save that for another blog.

Back in the classroom, my group assignment is to make Potato Samosas with Yogurt Mint Chutney.

Photography by Cathy Nelson ArklePhotography by Cathy Nelson Arkle

Start with fresh ingredients and spices, and then cook them together.

photography by Cathy Nelson ArklePhotography by Cathy Nelson Arkle

Roll out the dough, add the filling, and fold into a triangle.

photography by Cathy Nelson ArklePhotography by Cathy Nelson Arkle
Deep fry until they are golden brown and puffy.

The chutney was made with blending fresh ingredients in a food processor.
photography by Cathy Nelson Arkle Photography by cathy nelson arkle
So fresh and simple!

Chef Carol shows Rona how to stretch Naan bread.  Rona claims she isn’t a baker, but after eating her Challah, and now her Naan, she will just have to deal with the fact she can bake.

Photography by Cathy Nelson ArklePhotography by Cathy Nelson Arkle
Click here to get the recipe from Rona.

Other class projects were making paneer (fresh cheese).

Cathy Nelson Arkle photographyCathy Nelson Arkle photography
It only has two ingredients: milk and yogurt.

Here are a few other cooked dishes.
cathy Nelson Arkle photographyCathy Nelson Arkle photography

Kalhapuri Lamb with Cucumber-Coconut Chutney / Spicy Green Beans

Tandoori chicken Cathy Nelson Arkle Photography

Tandoori Chicken with Sizzling Onion / Ginger & Shrimp Cooked in Coconut Milk

Lemony Chickengobi sabzi cauliflower

Hare Masale Wali Murghi – Lemony Chicken with Fresh Coriander / Gobi Sabzi – Cauliflower with Ginger, Green Chilies, and Spices

Cathy Nelson Arkle photographyCathy Nelson Arkle photography
Spices for Masala Chai Tea / Rice Pudding with Dessert Spice Mixture

Today’s Recipe: Potato Samosas

Samosas are a great appetizer. This recipe looks intense and is time-consuming, but well worth the effort.

Print

Potato Samosas with Yogurt Mint Chutney

This is a multiple step recipe where first you make the filling and the dough, assemble the samosas and finally deep-fry them.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Indian
Author New School of Cooking

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground ajwain seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • About 3/4 cup water

Filling:

  • 5 medium-size potatoes about 1 1/2 pounds
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
  • 1 to 2 fresh serrano or jalapeno peppers minced with seeds
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/2 cup thawed frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro with stems
  • 1/2 teaspoon mango powder

Assembling and Frying:

  • 1 cup flour in a flat bowl for dusting
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 rolling pin
  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups peanut oil for deep-frying

Yogurt Mint Chutney:

  • 3 to 5 serrano peppers stemmed
  • 6 scallions each cut into 3 to 4 pieces
  • 3 quarter-size slices of peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves
  • 2 cups firmly packed cilantro soft stems included
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime or lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt whisked until smooth
  • 2 teaspoons chaat masala or more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

To make the dough:

  1. Place the flour, oil, and ajwain seeds in a food processor fitted with the metal S-blade and process to mix. With the motor running, pour the water in a slow stream and process until it gathers into a semi-firm ball that does not stick to the sides of the work bowl. Remove to a bowl, cover, and set aside at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.

To make the filling:

  1. Boil the potatoes in water to cover until tender, then peel and cut finely into small cubes.
  2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or saucepan over moderately high heat and add the cumin seeds, they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly, add first the ginger and serrano peppers, and then add the coriander, cumin, and salt and stir a few seconds.
  3. Add the potatoes and peas, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and mango powder and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool before using.

To assemble the samosas:

  1. Lightly oil your hands (to prevent the dough from sticking to them) and then divide the dough into twelve 1 1/2 inch balls. Cover and set aside.
  2. Working with each ball separately, flatten it into a disc with your fingertips, coat well with dry flour, and roll into a thin, 6- to 7-inch circle of uniform thickness. If the dough sticks to the rolling surface, dust once again with flour. Rolling can also be done on a lightly floured surface.
  3. Cut the circle into half and baste about 1/2 inch along the straight edge with water. Pick up the two pointed ends and place them one on top of the other along the straight edge and press along the straight edge to seal, thus making a cone. Alternately, simply fold in half to make a triangle.
  4. Hold the cone with the pointed side down, between your thumb and fore finger, and fill with one tablespoon or more of the filling. Baste the open edges with water and press them together to seal. Cover and set aside until ready to fry. Repeat with all the other balls.

To fry the samosas:

  1. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet until it reaches 325 to 350°F. (Drop a piece of the dough into the hot oil and if it bubbles and rises to the top immediately, then the oil is hot enough to be used.) Fry the samosas, as many as the wok can hold at one time without crowding, turning them a few times, until crisp and golden on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes.
  2. (If the samosas brown too quickly, the pastry will not become crisp.)
  3. Remove to paper towels to drain. Then transfer to a serving platter and serve with the Yogurt Mint Chutney.

Directions for Yogurt Mint Chutney:

  1. In a food processor fitted with the metal S-blade, process together the serrano peppers, scallions, and ginger until minced. Then add the mint and cilantro and process, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula a few times, until pureed. As you process, dribble the lime juice through the feed tube into the work bowl and process to make a smooth puree. Add the salt and chaat masala and process once again to mix.
  2. Place the yogurt in a serving bowl and mix in the pureed greens. Then add the paprika and swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish.

Picture of the Week

I wanted to leave you with a beautiful sunset in Goa, India.

Photography by Cathy Nelson Arkle

It is said that Southern Indian food is one of the hottest cuisines. People who love fiery food have been dubbed pyro-gourmaniacs.

Not me, I accept being labeled a thermophobia-gourmaniac. Sigh.
…and then she paused for thought.


Rona Lewis and Cathy Arkle
Hope you have enjoyed our adventure in the culinary classroom. Join us each week as we continue learning new culinary skills. Next week is Farmer Market foods.

You can also read about Rona’s experience on her blog or What’s Cookin online magazine.

 

 

 

Yum

Filed Under: Appetizers, Cooking School, Ethnic, Good Information, Party Food, Recipes, Side Dishes, Snacks, Vegetarian Tagged With: cooking school, Indian Cuisine, New School of Cooking Culver City, potatoes, Rona Lewis, samosas, vegetarian appetizers

Previous Post: « Asian Awakening
Next Post: Farmer Market Treasures »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. othisandthatbutsimple

    October 17, 2012 at 10:03 am

    What a great post! I love this! It sure made me hungry and inspired me to make Indian tonight. Thank you!

    Reply
  2. Cheri Cameron Newell

    October 17, 2012 at 4:38 pm

    All of the Indian food looked yummy… am becoming a fan of all things Indian. That is on my bucket list… to visit India! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Nan

    October 19, 2012 at 11:45 am

    Yum! Wish I’d been there. Do you have a favorite Indian cookbook?

    Reply
    • cathyarkle

      October 22, 2012 at 7:18 pm

      I only have one Indian cookbook and I love it. From Curries to Kabobs by Madhur Jaffrey

      Reply
  4. Natalie @ The Devil Wears Parsley

    October 20, 2012 at 7:58 am

    That’s AWESOME that you had an opportunity to visit a spice farm! India looks like a beautiful country… I hope to visit there one day as well! Those samosas look fantastic! Heck, all those photos look fantastic. Now I’m craving Indian at 8am! Hee hee

    Reply
    • cathyarkle

      October 22, 2012 at 7:19 pm

      Thanks Natalie! India is one of the most beautiful and interesting places I have been. I know you would love it. I hope you can go some day.

      Reply
  5. thehomeartist

    October 23, 2012 at 12:54 am

    Really enjoyed this tasty post. Those are some mighty good looking samosa….and the font is perfect!

    Reply
  6. plasterers bristol

    May 12, 2015 at 2:10 am

    This sounds really delicious. Thanks for putting this up…

    Simon

    Reply
  7. zai

    May 7, 2020 at 5:35 am

    Hi, When would I add the salt to the dough for Samosas?

    Reply
    • Cathy Arkle

      October 2, 2020 at 5:58 pm

      With the rest of the ingredients. I will change it in the directions.
      Thank you Zai!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Olympic Inspired Recipes | She Paused for Thought says:
    February 18, 2014 at 1:03 pm

    […] Potato Samosas with Yogurt Mint Chutney […]

    Reply
  2. 10 Different ways to Cook with Mint | A Blog by Season in a Trunk says:
    March 5, 2015 at 10:11 am

    […] Potato Samosas with Mint […]

    Reply
  3. 10 Different ways to Cook with Mint | A Blog by Christa Melton says:
    January 21, 2016 at 11:51 am

    […] Potato Samosas with Mint […]

    Reply

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