Samosas are a great party food because they freeze beautifully. Prepare them as directed through step 3. Place the samosas on wax or parchment paper–lined baking sheets in a single layer and freeze until hard. Transfer to zip-close plastic freezer bags and freeze up to 2 months. To serve, thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes, then bake as directed.
2 tablespoons canola oil
½ cup fi nely chopped onion
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and fi nely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
¾ teaspoon Madras curry powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 pound ground skinless chicken breast
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
34 (3-inch) square wonton wrappers
To make filling, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, jalapeño, and garlic; cook until onion begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Stir in garam masala, curry powder, and turmeric; cook 30 seconds. Add chicken and sprinkle with salt; cook, breaking up chicken with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; let cool 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and lime juice.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Place 6 wonton wrappers on work surface. Put scant 1 tablespoon of fi lling in center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of wrappers with water. Fold each wrapper over fi lling to form triangle. Press edges firmly to seal. Place samosas on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers, making a total of 34 samosas.
Lightly spray samosas with nonstick spray. Bake until crisp and golden, about 6 minutes per side.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons canola oil
½ cup fi nely chopped onion
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and fi nely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
¾ teaspoon Madras curry powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 pound ground skinless chicken breast
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
34 (3-inch) square wonton wrappers
Directions:
To make filling, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, jalapeño, and garlic; cook until onion begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Stir in garam masala, curry powder, and turmeric; cook 30 seconds. Add chicken and sprinkle with salt; cook, breaking up chicken with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; let cool 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and lime juice.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Place 6 wonton wrappers on work surface. Put scant 1 tablespoon of fi lling in center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of wrappers with water. Fold each wrapper over fi lling to form triangle. Press edges firmly to seal. Place samosas on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers, making a total of 34 samosas.
Lightly spray samosas with nonstick spray. Bake until crisp and golden, about 6 minutes per side.
Turn these tasty stuffed mushrooms into mini hors d’oeuvres by substituting about 16 medium white mushrooms for the portobellos.
1 (10-ounce) bag baby spinach, rinsed (do not dry)
1 large egg
cup crumbled soft goat cheese
2 tablespoons seasoned dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons plain fat-free yogurt
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill
¼ teaspoon salt
teaspoon black pepper
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray medium baking dish with olive oil nonstick spray.
Set large skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and let cool slightly. Chop spinach and transfer to large bowl; stir in all remaining ingredients except mushrooms.
Place mushrooms, stem side down, in prepared baking dish. Bake 5 minutes. Turn mushrooms over; fill evenly with spinach mixture. Bake until fi lling is heated through, about 15 minutes longer.
Ingredients:
1 (10-ounce) bag baby spinach, rinsed (do not dry)
1 large egg
cup crumbled soft goat cheese
2 tablespoons seasoned dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons plain fat-free yogurt
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill
¼ teaspoon salt
teaspoon black pepper
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray medium baking dish with olive oil nonstick spray.
Set large skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and let cool slightly. Chop spinach and transfer to large bowl; stir in all remaining ingredients except mushrooms.
Place mushrooms, stem side down, in prepared baking dish. Bake 5 minutes. Turn mushrooms over; fill evenly with spinach mixture. Bake until fi lling is heated through, about 15 minutes longer.
Make these delectable stuffed mushrooms the centerpiece of an antipasto plate of grilled vegetables, including radicchio wedges, zucchini slices, cherry tomato skewers, and grilled halved or quartered Belgian endive.
½ pound sweet Italian turkey sausages, casings removed
30 cremini mushrooms (about 1½ pounds), stems finely chopped
1 small onion, fi nely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup plain dried bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Romano cheese
1 large egg white
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
¹/8 teaspoon black pepper
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray jelly-roll pan with nonstick spray.
To make mushroom filling, put sausages in medium nonstick skillet and set over medium high heat. Cook, breaking them apart with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add mushroom stems, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring, until mushrooms begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl and let cool about 5 minutes.
Add all remaining ingredients to sausage mixture, stirring to mix well. Spoon about 2½ teaspoons filling into each mushroom cap. Place stuffed mushrooms in prepared pan. Bake until mushrooms are tender and filling is heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve hot or warm.
Ingredients:
½ pound sweet Italian turkey sausages, casings removed
30 cremini mushrooms (about 1½ pounds), stems finely chopped
1 small onion, fi nely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup plain dried bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Romano cheese
1 large egg white
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
¹/8 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray jelly-roll pan with nonstick spray.
To make mushroom filling, put sausages in medium nonstick skillet and set over medium high heat. Cook, breaking them apart with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add mushroom stems, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring, until mushrooms begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl and let cool about 5 minutes.
Add all remaining ingredients to sausage mixture, stirring to mix well. Spoon about 2½ teaspoons filling into each mushroom cap. Place stuffed mushrooms in prepared pan. Bake until mushrooms are tender and filling is heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve hot or warm.
Ingredients:
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch salt
Pinch black pepper
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or paprika
Directions:
Place eggs and enough cold water to cover by at least 1 inch in medium saucepan; bring to boil. Immediately remove saucepan from heat and cover. Let stand 15 minutes. Pour off water and rinse eggs under cold running water until cool.
Peel eggs. Cut eggs lengthwise in half and remove yolks. Transfer yolks to small bowl and mash with fork until smooth. Add mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper; stir until mixed well.
Place egg whites on plate. Spoon yolk mixture evenly into egg white halves or spoon yolk mixture into pastry bag fitted with star tip and pipe into egg white halves. Sprinkle with parsley and serve or loosely cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.
Curried Deviled Eggs
Add ¼ teaspoon mild or hot curry powder to egg yolk mixture.
Horseradish Deviled Eggs
Add 1½ teaspoons drained prepared horseradish to egg yolk mixture and sprinkle eggs with snipped fresh dill instead of parsley.
Caviar Eggs
Top each deviled egg with ½ teaspoon caviar and omit parsley.
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon black pepper
teaspoon cayenne
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
3–4 tablespoons cold water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.Combine flour, pepper, and cayenne in food processor and pulse to mix. Scatter butter on top of seasoned fl our; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Scatter Cheddar and Parmesan on top and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of water; pulse until mixture forms a ball, adding remaining 1 tablespoon water, if needed.
Turn dough out onto lightly fl oured work surface. With lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into 9-inch square. With pizza cutter or knife, cut dough into 3 × ½-inch strips, making a total of 48 strips.
Place cheese strips about 1 inch apart on ungreased large nonstick baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. With wide spatula, transfer cheese straws to wire racks and let cool completely. Cheese straws can be stored in airtight container up to 2 days.
In Italy, these delicate and delectable treats are called frico. They are usually prepared only with Parmesan cheese, but we love the combination of cheeses used in our version.
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon all-purpose fl our
½ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
Pinch cayenne
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray.
Stir together all ingredients in small bowl. Drop cheese mixture by tablespoonfuls, at least 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Bake crisps until cheese is melted and edges are lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Let crisps cool 1 minute on baking sheets. With pancake spatula, transfer crisps to double thickness of paper towels and let cool completely. Crisps can be stored in airtight container up to 2 days at room temperature.
Ingredients:
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon all-purpose fl our
½ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
Pinch cayenne
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray.
Stir together all ingredients in small bowl. Drop cheese mixture by tablespoonfuls, at least 2 inches apart, onto prepared baking sheets. Bake crisps until cheese is melted and edges are lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Let crisps cool 1 minute on baking sheets. With pancake spatula, transfer crisps to double thickness of paper towels and let cool completely. Crisps can be stored in airtight container up to 2 days at room temperature.
Ingredients:
For the marinade:
125 ml / 4½ fl oz Greek-style yoghurt
small knob fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
salt, to taste
½ tsp chilli powder, or to taste
1 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp lemon juice, or to taste
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp gram flour (also called chickpea flour)
1 tsp cumin powder
seeds of 6 green cardamom, ground
For the skewers:
300 gm / 10 ½ oz paneer, cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
1 large onion, cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
1 green and 1 red capsicum pepper, cored and cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
oil, for greasing
6 wooden skewers, soaked for an hour
2 tbsp butter, melted, for drizzling
chaat masala (a dried spice mixture available from Asian grocers), to sprinkle
Directions:
For the marinade, mix together all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and add the paneer, onion and peppers. Cover with cling film and allow the paneer and vegetables to marinate for 30-40 minutes, or longer, in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas 6 and oil a baking sheet.
Thread the vegetables and paneer alternately onto the skewers. Bake in the oven for seven minutes, drizzle over the melted butter, turn and cook for another 5-7 minutes or until charred at the edges.
Sprinkle with chaat masala and serve. They are also great served with a green chutney.
Ingredients:
vegetable oil, for frying
600 gm / 1 lb 5oz small to medium-sized red-skinned potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise
salt, to taste
½ tsp dried mango powder (often sold as amchoor), available from Asian grocers
¼-½ tsp red chilli powder, or to taste
½ tsp ground coriander
Directions:
Heat a couple of inches of vegetable oil in a wide saucepan or wok.
Add the potatoes and fry over a medium heat, turning occasionally, until they are just soft in the centre when tested with the point of a sharp knife. This should take about 10-15 minutes. They should be fairly pale in colour.
Remove the potatoes from the oil and drain on kitchen paper for five minutes. Once cool enough to handle, using the palm of your hand, gently flatten the potatoes as much as possible without them losing their shape.
Before serving, reheat the oil. Add the potatoes to the hot oil and fry over a low-medium heat for about 5-6 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and crisp.
Ingredients:
For the marinade:large knob fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2-4 green chillies, cut in half with the stalk, seeds and membranes removed
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp oil
For the chicken:
800 gm / 1 lb 12oz chicken pieces, skinned and pricked all over with a fork
3 tbsp vegetable oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
4 slices white bread, processed to crumbs in a food processor
1-2 large free-range eggs, beaten
1 lemon, to serve
Directions:
For the marinade, combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well to make a paste. Add the chicken and coat each piece well in the paste. Cover with cling film and leave for a couple of hours or overnight in the fridge. Bring back to room temperature before continuing.
Preheat the oven to 225°C / 435°F / Gas 7.
Pour the oil into a roasting pan large enough to hold all the chicken pieces in one layer. Place the pan on a high shelf in the oven for 15 minutes to heat up.
Mix the salt, black pepper and cumin into the breadcrumbs. Take the chicken out of the marinade, letting the excess drip off and roll each piece in the crumbs ensuring an even coating on all sides.
Dip the chicken pieces into the beaten egg and add a second coating of crumbs. Place them on the baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes. Then lower the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas 6, turn the chicken and cook for another 15-25 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken pieces), or until cooked through.
Place on a serving dish, cut the lemon into wedges and serve.
Ingredients:
For the burgers:1 small onion, quartered
4 cm / 1½ in piece fresh ginger
4 large garlic cloves
20 g /¾ oz fresh coriander, stalks and leaves
2-3 green chillies, chopped or ½-1 tsp red chilli powder
450 g / 1 lb lamb mince
¾ tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 large free-range egg
2 slices thick-cut white bread, processed to crumbs in a food processor
2 tbsp oil, for greasing
For the herbed yogurt:
200 g / 7 oz Greek-style yogurt
30 g /1 oz fresh coriander leaves
15 g / ½ oz fresh mint leaves, or 1 tbsp good quality dried mint
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped (optional)
salt, to taste
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
6 hamburger buns
1 onion, sliced crosswise into large rings
2 ripe plum tomatoes, sliced crosswise
crunchy lettuce leaves
Directions:
For the burgers, using a hand blender, roughly chop the onion, ginger, garlic, coriander and green chillies by pulsing, or chop them all by hand. Place into a bowl with the lamb mince, add the cumin, garam masala, salt, egg and breadcrumbs and mix well.
Shape into six burgers and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes, or until you are ready to cook them. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start cooking.
Meanwhile, for the herbed yogurt, mix together all the ingredients for the herbed yogurt in a bowl and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Preheat the grill to high. Place the burgers on a well-oiled baking sheet and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. They can also be cooked in an oiled non-stick pan for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway.
While the burgers are cooking, heat the buns in the oven for the last 3-4 minutes of the cooking time.
To serve, split the buns in two. Place a burger onto one half of each bun on a bed of lettuce. Top with the tomatoes and onion rings and a spoonful of the herbed yogurt. Finish with the other half of each bun.
Ingredients:
For the spinach paste:225g / 8oz baby spinach leaves, washed
45g / 1¾ oz fresh coriander, leaves and stalks
6 large garlic cloves, peeled
5cm / 2in piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
6 tbsp roasted and salted peanuts
2-3 tbsp lemon juice, or to taste
1 tbsp vegetable oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-3 green chillies, seeds removed, roughly chopped (optional)
For the tandoori mushrooms:
75ml / 2½fl oz Greek-style yoghurt
1 tsp each garam masala, ground cumin, ground fennel seeds and green cardamom powder
2 tsp crushed garlic
1 rounded tsp grated ginger
2 tsp gram flour
salt, to taste
2 tsp lemon juice
¼-½ tsp red chilli powder, or to taste
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp water
200g / 7oz Portobello mushrooms, cleaned, boiled for 15 minutes, cooled and thickly sliced
For the paneer:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
100ml/3½fl oz water
300-350 g / 10-12 oz paneer, cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
½ small onion, thinly sliced
To serve:
5 ready-made flour tortillas, wrapped in foil and placed in the oven for the last five minutes of cooking. You'll need 5-6 wooden skewers, soaked in water for half an hour
Directions:
For the spinach paste, place all the spinach paste ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. For the tandoori mushrooms, place all the ingredients except the mushrooms into a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Add the mushrooms to the paste and leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas 6.
For the paneer, heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Add the spinach paste and the water and cook over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the paste starts to thicken. Add the paneer and the onion and cook for another minute, or until the onion just starts to soften.
Meanwhile, thread the marinated mushrooms onto skewers, place onto an oiled baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time. Once cooked, add the mushrooms to the paneer mixture.
To serve, divide the filling into five portions and place each portion onto a warmed tortilla. Roll up and cut on the diagonal.
Ingredients:
For the marinade:150ml / 5fl oz Greek-style yoghurt
½ small onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
2.5cm / 1in piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 tsp each garam masala and ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground fennel seeds
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves
½ tsp red chilli powder, or to taste
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt, or to taste
For the lamb:
400g / 14oz lamb (leg meat is ideal), bones removed, cut into 2cm/1in cubes and pierced with a fork
2 tbsp melted butter, for basting
To serve:
5 ready-made flour tortillas, wrapped in foil and placed in the oven for the last five minutes of cooking
½ onion, finely sliced
2 tomatoes, finely sliced
1 Little Gem lettuce, finely sliced
100ml / 3½fl oz Green chutney, mixed with 3 tbsp yoghurt, to serve
You'll need ten wooden skewers, soaked in water for half an hour
Directions:
Place all the marinade ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and stir in the lamb cubes. Mix well and leave to marinate in the fridge for as long as possible, preferably overnight. Bring back to room temperature an hour before cooking.
Preheat the grill to medium. Thread the lamb cubes onto the skewers leaving a space between each piece and place under the grill. Cook for around 5-6 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, until tender. Alternatively, cook in an oven preheated to 200°C / 400°F / Gas 6 for eight minutes. Baste with the melted butter and cook for another minute or two for slightly pink meat, or longer if you want the lamb well done.
Divide the lamb pieces into five equal portions and place each portion in the centre of a warmed tortilla. Top with a handful of the sliced vegetables and a spoonful of chutney. Roll up and serve.
Ingredients:
For the marinade:150ml/5fl oz Greek-style yoghurt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2.5cm/1in piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
¼-½ tsp red chilli powder, or to taste
1 tsp garam masala
generous pinch green and black cardamom seeds and fennel seeds, ground together
¾-1 tsp salt, or to taste
30g/1oz cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
1½ tbsp lemon juice
1 free-range egg, beaten
2 rounded tbsp gram flour
For the chicken:
400g/14oz chicken breasts, skin and bones removed, cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
oil, for brushing
2 tbsp melted butter, to baste
To serve:
¾ tsp chaat masala (optional), available from Asian stores and some supermarkets
5 ready-made flour tortillas, wrapped in foil and placed in the oven for the last five minutes of cooking
½ onion, finely sliced
2 tomatoes, finely sliced
1 Little Gem lettuce, finely sliced
150ml/5fl oz Green chutney
You'll need ten wooden skewers, soaked in water for half an hour
Directions:
For the chicken, place all the marinade ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Pierce the chicken pieces all over with a fork and add to the marinade. Leave to marinate in the fridge for a few hours, if possible, bringing the chicken back to room temperature before cooking.
To cook the chicken, preheat the grill to medium. Brush the grill rack liberally with oil and place some aluminium foil on the oven floor to catch any drips. Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers, spacing them apart so they do not touch. Grill for 6-8 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time. Then baste the chicken with the butter and grill for another minute, or until slightly charred at the edges and completely cooked through.
Using a fork, slide the chicken pieces off the skewers and sprinkle over the chaat masala, if using. Divide the chicken into five equal portions and place each portion in the middle of a warmed tortilla. Top with the sliced vegetables and a spoonful of the chutney. Fold over the top of the tortilla and pull in the sides. Cut in half on the diagonal and serve.
Ingredients:
165 g / 6 oz semolina125 ml / 4½ fl oz plain yoghurt
125 ml / 4½ fl oz water
two handfuls frozen peas, defrosted
2 tbsp chopped onion
1 small carrot, peeled and grated
handful fresh or frozen (defrosted) green beans, roughly chopped
2.5cm / 1in piece fresh ginger, peeled and crushed
¾-1 tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
salt, to taste (season well)
3 tbsp oil, plus extra for greasing
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas 6 and oil a loaf tin. In a large bowl, mix together the semolina, yogurt, water, vegetables, ginger, chilli powder, turmeric and salt to make a fairly thick batter. Taste and adjust with more salt or spices if necessary.
Heat the oil in a small pan. Add the mustard, cumin and sesame seeds and cook, stirring frequently, for 20 seconds, or until the mustard seeds have popped and the cumin and sesame seeds are aromatic. Stir the seeds and oil into the batter. If the batter is too thick, add a splash of water.
Stir in the bicarbonate of soda and immediately pour the mixture into the tin. Transfer to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden-brown. It's ready when a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool and become crisp in the tin.
Serve in wedges, either on its own or with green chutney.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp vegetable oil½ tsp mustard seeds
60g/2½oz chopped onion
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
60g/2½oz frozen peas
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp red chilli powder
½-¾ tsp garam masala
1-2 tsp dried mango powder, to taste
salt, to taste
splash water
600g/1lb 5oz potatoes, peeled, boiled until soft and crushed into large lumps
4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
packet ready-made filo pastry
5 tbsp melted butter, for brushing
2 tbsp sesame seeds (optional) (you can also use poppy or nigella seeds)
Directions:
Heat the oil in a small non-stick pan and fry the mustard seeds for about ten seconds, or until they begin to splutter.
Add the onion and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes over a high heat. Add the peas, stir well and add the spices, mango powder, salt and a splash of water. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the potatoes and coriander and cook for 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Unroll the pastry and cover with cling film and a damp tea towel. Peel off one piece and keep the rest covered so that it doesn't dry out. Lay the pastry sheet flat on a clean surface and brush with melted butter. Fold in one third of the pastry lengthways towards the middle. Brush again with the butter and fold in the other side to make a long triple-layered strip.
Place one rounded teaspoon of the filling mixture at one end of the strip, leaving a 2cm/1in border. Take the right corner and fold diagonally to the left, enclosing the filling and forming a triangle. Fold again along the upper crease of the triangle. Keep folding in this way until you reach the end of the strip. Brush the outer surface with more butter. Place onto a baking sheet and cover while you make the rest of the samosas. Sprinkle over a few sesame seeds, if using.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until golden and crisp, turning halfway through the cooking time.
To serve, place the samosas onto a large serving plate with a bowlful of chutney
The Priekulis family of Des Moines brought its prized recipe for pirozhki from Latvia. You can make this quick adaptation using store bought bought break dough. If you have time, try the superb homemade version
Community cookbooks frequently include recipes for fancy Tex-Mex appetizers. This party size platter combines layers of black bean spread, cream cheese, Monterey Jack, and tomato.