The Modern Ayurvedic Cookbook. Amrita Sondhi

Vegetable Samosas

      Samosas are tasty with tea or as an appetizer served with Tamarind and/or Cilantro Mint Chutneys (Tamarind Chutney and Cilantro Mint Chutney) and lemon wedges. It is customary to squeeze the lemon into the samosa with each bite. My friend Nevenka eats the samosa filling on its own for an easy, tasty snack. The filling is fairly spicy, so those with sensitive palates may want to increase the vegetables by adding another ½ cup each of peas, carrots, and potatoes.

To make this recipe tridoshic, omit onions, cayenne, and fresh green chilies.

       Curry leaves are available in Indian grocery stores.

       Non-vegetarians can substitute beef for the potatoes and adjust seasoning to taste.

       Filling:

      1½ tbsp olive oil

      2 tsp black mustard seeds

      1 cup onions, chopped

      • To reduce Pitta: reduce to ½cup or omit

      ½ tsp turmeric

      8 curry leaves (optional) (see note)

      3 cups potatoes, parboiled and cubed

      1½ cups peas, parboiled

      1½ cups carrots, parboiled

      Juice of ½ a lemon

      ½ tsp cayenne pepper

      • To reduce Pitta: omit

      ½ tsp garam masala

      2 tsp salt

      ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves (packed), finely chopped

      ½ fresh green chili, minced

      • To reduce Pitta: omit

       Paste:

      1 tbsp flour

      1 tbsp water

      1 pkg samosa pastry (see note)

      Olive oil spray

       You can buy ready-made samosa pastries in Indian grocery stores. If you prefer, you can use your favorite pastry recipe instead of the pre-made samosa pastries. Roll out the dough until it is th-in thick. Cut into 6-in (10-cm) wide circles. Place your filling in the center and fold over, pinching edges. Baste with egg whites, and bake until golden brown on all sides.

       For filling:

      In a large saucepan on high, heat oil, then add black mustard seeds and cover with lid until they pop, about 30 seconds. Stir in onions, then reduce heat to medium-high, and sauté for about 4 minutes, until onions start to brown. Add turmeric and curry leaves, and continue to sauté for 1 minute. Stir in potatoes, peas, carrots, lemon juice, cayenne, garam masala, and salt. Mix well and cook for about 3 minutes. Turn off heat, add cilantro and green chilies, and mix well. Let cool completely. Remove curry leaves.

       For paste:

      In a small bowl, combine flour and water and mix well. Set aside.

       For samosas:

      Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

      Follow package directions for defrosting samosa pastry. Use 1 tbsp of filling per samosa wrapper and follow package directions for folding. Use paste to seal edges (make sure they are well sealed). Place samosas on a baking sheet and lightly cover with olive oil spray. Bake for 30 minutes, or until they start to brown (watch carefully to ensure they do not burn). Flip over, spray with olive oil, and bake for another 20–30 minutes until brown.

      Makes 6–8 servings (2 per person).

       Frozen food is usually frowned upon in Ayurveda, but these samosas freeze really well for up to 10 days without losing their flavor. They are easy to defrost by re-heating them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350°F (180°C), or for 1 minute (2 samosas at a time) in the microwave on high.