Lately, I have been looking for dishes that are more like one pot meals. You prep, cook on the stove or oven, and end up with nutritious, no frill meals that actually taste super good as leftovers too. This particular dish is inspired by a snack from Gujarat, India, known as Handvo. It is like a giant frittata that can be made in the oven or in a pan on the stovetop. This nutritious version is actually like the eggy version in that it is quite low in carbs, yet the blend of creamy coconut milk, versatile cauliflower and nutty chickpea flour, take it to a whole new taste level. My recipe is a version inspired by the woman who inspired many young Indians to cook, Tarla Dalal. A wedge of this served with some zhoug, cilantro chutney, sriracha, or even ketchup is the perfect anytime snack or light meal.
Ingredients:
One can coconut milk (I used the 403 ml can of Thai kitchen organic coconut milk)
6 tbsps chickpea flour.
1/2 small cauliflower cut into tiny florets
4 green chilies, finely chopped
1 inch piece ginger, finely chopped
1 small bunch cilantro (coriander leaves) finely chopped
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp oil
How to:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix all the ingredients except for the mustard seeds and oil in a bowl, ensuring there are no clumps of chickpea flour.
3. Transfer the mixture to a greased 8 or 9 inch cake pan
4. Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, scatter on top of the mixture in the cake pan.
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes till the top is nice and golden brown and the centre appears set.
6. Let cool for 10 minutes and then cut into 12 wedges. Serve hot or cold, as suggested with one of your favorite condiments.
7. This will stay fresh for several days in the fridge, if kept wrapped in foil. When serving, simply toast in a toaster for a few minutes before serving.
Of course it had to hit when there was no easy way to fix it. I’m talking about the intense craving I had yesterday for samosas. All I wanted was the crisp crust and the melt in your mouth filling ASAP. But, I did not have the patience to order takeout or to make samosas from scratch. Staring at my freezer to see if I had any frozen samosas, I discovered a solitary roll of puff pastry waiting to be used. I also found half a cauliflower in my vegetable drawer. On went the oven and in less than an hour, I had a delicious fix that looked nothing like a samosa, but delighted the taste buds with mimicking the flavors.
Ingredients:
One sheet of frozen puff pastry roll, left on the counter to thaw for 40 minutes (I used one roll from a two pack of 17.3 oz dough from Pepperidge Farm)
One large onion, finely chopped
2 green chilis, finely chopped
2 cups small cauliflower florets (about half a cauliflower for me)
1 small potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 tbsps oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
.5 tsp turmeric powder
1.5 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cilantro, finely chopped for garnishing (optional)
1 green chili, finely chopped, for garnishing (optional)
1 small cube of paneer, finely chopped, for garnishing (optional)
1 springform pan (I used a 9 inch one) or a tray for baking the samosa
Parchment paper to prevent the base from sticking when baking
How to:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add the onions and green chilis and sauté, stirring occasionally till the onions start turning brown. This took about ten minutes.
3. Add the cauliflower, potato, salt, and turmeric powder to the onions, give the mixture a good toss and cook covered (give it a stir once or twice) till the cauliflower and potatoes are cooked and dry. The veggies should not turn mushy. This took about ten minutes for me on a medium flame.
4. Add the garam masala, mix well and set the mixture aside to cool a bit. It should feel warm to the touch.
5. Grease the springform pan or tray and line it with parchment paper.
6.Unroll the puff pastry dough and plop it on the pan or tray.
7. Mound the filling at the centre of the dough, and bring the dough from each side towards the centre leaving the filling exposed (see picture). It is okay to not have perfection here. All you want is the samosa filling to be encased partially in some yummy puff pastry filling.
8. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for about 30-40 minutes, till the puff pastry is a golden brown. Mine took 30 minutes.
9. Wait for ten minutes (this is the hardest part). Remove the base from the springform pan if using. Sprinkle the chili, cilantro, paneer, garnishing (if using) on the samosa pie. Slice into wedges and enjoy!
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