Arabic Samosa's: (Tea Time Snacks)

Ingredients:
For Filling:
1 or 2 packets of fresh mince meat ( chicken or mutton) or the long frozen ones in freezers-your choice.
2 large onions finely chopped
2 spring onions (long green onions)
Handful of chopped parsley & Coriander (little of each to make a handful)
4 Crushed garlic glove (optional)
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste ( if you want them extra spicy add a level tablespoon of curry powder and 1 chopped green chilli)
For the Samosa:
Packet or two of Sambosa leaves.
3-6 large boiled and mashed potatoes
Small bowl of water and pastry brush
Flour Dredger
Plastic bags if freezing - your choice

Method:
The potatoes:  First boil and keep them aside. Then peel potatoes and cut into medium sized chunks.
Return to the still hot pan (heat off though). Add more salt to taste, add a tablespoon of soft butter to enhance the taste and make it a just little creamier. Smash with a potato masher. There should be no lumps.
 
The Filling:
Wash the mince a little and leave aside to drain. I always wash the mince a little.
Hot olive oil 2-3 tablespoon, in a non-stick skillet
Add onions and green onions and cook till slightly golden at edges. (add chilli here if you want chilli)
Once onion is red at the edges, add garlic, cook for a minute and then add the drained mince meat, stir with a wooden spoon and mix well. Cover for a few minute while mince cooks in its own juices and the water inside it.Every couple of minutes just stir and mix it so it evenly gets done. All in all this should take at least 20-30 mins for the meat to get done.
Towards the end while it still has some juices in it, add the salt & Pepper, and the curry powder ( if you want the spicy version) stir again well, and add 1/2 cup of water-let it simmer and when the meat mixture is done there there should be just the little oil to be seen, add the herbs ( Parsley & Coriander)Mix well just for a few seconds. Switch off heat, leave aside and in a stainless steel colander drain off excess oil, leave in colander and cover with foil until it is cool. DO NOT used hot mixture on Sambosas leaves.

While you are waiting for this, flour a large round tray, take out Sambosa leaves, open packet and wait a little a couple of minutes or so for the layers to loosen, cover with cling wrap or damp tea towel all the time to prevent them drying out and cracking.

Take the mince mixture, add mash potatoes to it. Sit down for the next step as it takes some time. Note: You can keep the fillings in the refrigerator for the next day if you haven't had time to complete them all-but only one day.

Making the Sambosas:
Take one sheet of Sambosa leaves. Brush the edges with water, place a tablespoon of filling from the mince meat filling first on the near to the corner of the edge at one end and fold continuously into triangles until complete. Rest on the tray with the last fold down so it doesn't open up. Press the edges down as you go along. Then sprinkle with a little flour and put in a plastic bag again with the last fold down-keep in bags to stop drying process of the leaves (Napco bags are good). Put about 12 in each bag. Don't worry about them sticking to each other as the flour prevents that, plus when frozen, just a little tap will separate them all.

Deep fry when required until golden brown.

Paneer Flutes

Paneer lovers i hope your listening. Yes, if your a paneer lover am sure you will definetly love this easy recipe. Its also a easy snack to prepare for the kids once they get back from school.

Ingredients:
For Wrapper
2 cups all purpose flour (or use wheat flour)
1 tbsp ghee/oil (optional)
salt to taste 
For the Stuffing
1 cup crumbled paneer
1/4 cup approx of v finely chopped red onions
1-2 green chillies, chopped finely (or as per taste)
1-2 cloves of garlic, finely minced (or as per taste)
1/4 cup fresh mozzarella, crumbled (or use grated mozzarella)
1/4 cup tomatoes, finely chopped
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
1-2 drops of rice vinegar (or use regular - optional)
few sprigs of cilantro, chopped
salt to taste (little since wrapper also has salt)

Best tip: if your short of time you can easily buy the ready made sheets available in the markets for the wraps.

Take the wheat flour in a bowl. Add enough water to mould it into a soft dough. Knead till its smooth and fluffy. Meanwhile prepare the filling. On a stove top in 1 tsp oil, add all the ingredients together except the cheese. Saute until soft. You can do a taste test and change the seasoning according to your taste. Remove from heat and add fresh mozzarella along with cilantro. I find that adding the fresh ones make this so much more tastier. But regular grated one will work just fine. Toss until well mixed.Take the dough (divide into two or  three smaller pieces) and roll it out into a large rectangle. Cut them into smaller rectangles.Take one piece. Add the stuffing in shorter end of the rectangle making sure to leave few inches near the edges.

Roll it twice, bring the edges of the filling together (this is to prevent the filling from seeping out during frying). and then continue rolling until you reach the end. You can use a beaten egg or water mixed with flour mixture to bind the dough. I applied flour water mixture at the end. Now fry these up in hot oil.

.....Stacky Baby......

From past weeks, I've been watching Huda being obsessed with stacking stuff. Lets call it the phase of growth or development. She's been stacking any stuff which she gets her hands on....and I just love watch her grow....

There's two more picture of her stacking my Idly and her stacking cups, guess i have lost the picture in hard disk which apparently she dropped her milk..... anyways will post them when we recover them soon.....Till then happy stacking for my bebe.!!