Puff Pastry Samosa Pinwheels #OurFamilyTable

Samosas are deep fried Indian snack. Mashed potatoes with spices stuffed inside an all-purpose flour covering. They are addictive and can be made into samosas, puffs, kachoris, etc.....There are innumerous possibilities. The freshly crushed cumin and coriander add tons of flavor to the potatoes. Traditional samosa crust is not flaky at all. Using puff pastry for a crust is a great idea. It's kind of where the western flaky crust meets the spicy Indian samosa filling. It can be compared to a happy marriage..hahaha......the end result is always divine. Melt in the mouth buttery flaky crust with potatoes, I guess there is no need for further elaboration. This can be a great appetizer for a get-together or parties and it will be a hit always for sure. Having frozen puff pastry sheets comes in handy when you need to make this appetizer/snack. 

Puff pastry pinwheels are easy to make and also help in sized portions. Smaller sized ones are always good for parties. It helps in reducing wastage as well as in controlling portion sizes when you have a feast to indulge in. I am posting this for the Puff Pastry event from Our Dinner Table. We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you're at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

Ingredients

Makes 14

Potatoes - 1cup mashed (roughly 2 medium potatoes)

Salt - 1/2 tsp

cumin  - 1/2 tsp

Coriander seeds - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Cayenne - 1/2 tsp

Ginger - 1 tsp, finely chopped

Cilantro - 1 tbsp, chopped

Oil - 1 tbsp

Puff pastry sheet - 1 sheet 

Method

Remove the frozen puff pastry sheet and let it come to room temperature (30-40 min). Preheat the oven to 400degress F. In a pan heat the oil. Add ginger, sauté for a minute. Then add turmeric, crushed cumin-coriander seeds, and cayenne. 

Add the mashed potatoes and salt. Mix everything and cook for about 3- 4 minutes. Cool.

Once the puff pastry sheets come to room temperature, gently flip open and roll slightly. Smear the potato filling evenly. Roll from one end to make a log. 

Cut into equal slices. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and serve.

Here is a list of the other Puff Pastry Recipes from the event.

• Easy Cheese Danish by That Recipe
• Pear Prosciutto Palmiers by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Puff Pastry Cheesy Garlic Bread by Making Miracles
• Puff Pastry Pizza Pinwheels by Sweet Beginnings
• Puff Pastry Samosa Pinwheels by Magical Ingredients (you are here!)
• Puff Pastry Tomato and Goat Cheese Pizzettes by Karen's Kitchen Stories

Tips

If using these for mini appetizers, the above-mentioned filling is perfect.

If using as a big snack, double the amount of filling, for a perfect samosa puff pastry.

Thanksgiving Feast - Indian Style and Recipe for Pumpkin Paratha | Kaddu Paratha

Today is Thanksgiving Day! If you think a little deep, we can find many things and many people we are thankful for. We are so BLESSED! When we say Thanksgiving, immediately the feast comes into the picture, and turkey is at the center stage. There are vegetarians and vegans, and the meal plan varies according to the preferences. I do make different menu every year using the centered veggies and posting this here today. Just keep it simple and close to heart. The Thanksgiving meal in this pandemic can be made as comfortable and soothing as possible. A comfort meal can become elaborate too! Dal, rice, and roti will be very comforting any day. Along with that serve with several vegetable curries and desserts made with similar ones used in a Thanksgiving menu and guess what! That will be the most delicious meal. This is a flavorful thali.

Today's menu consists of:

 

Pumpkin paratha

Green beans, peas and spinach pulao 

Cranberry dal

Corn salad 

Cucumber raita 

Paneer masala

Cranberry onion relish / thokku

Lemon Potatoes

Apple kheer

This tasted like heaven and one of the memorable meal.

Pumpkin is a versatile veggie. It taste great in curries and desserts. Pumpkin fritters are common too. This paratha, unleavened flatbread, is a common one too and made in many households. It can served with dal, pickle, or raita. This can be veganized by replacing ghee with oil. The beautiful orange colored paratha is granted to steal attention for its looks as well as flavors. For the next Thanksgiving feast, try making these parathas instead of regular rolls. 

Ingredients

Makes 14 parathas

Whole wheat flour - 2 cups

Roasted pumpkin puree - 3/4 cup

Cayenne - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Ginger powder -1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1.5 tsp

Water - 2 or 3 tbsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Ghee

Method

Add all the ingredients except water. Mix well. The pumpkin puree will give enough wetness to the mix that there is a little water needed to make it a smooth dough. Add water little by little and make a smooth dough. Cover and rest for 30 - 60 minutes. 

Knead the dough a couple of times and divide it into 14 balls. Gently roll in to a 5 inch circle. Apply ghee or melted butter and fold in half. Again apply ghee and fold. It will be a triangle now. Roll into a bigger triangle may be 6-7 in length each side dusting with flour if necessary. 

Heat a cast iron pan. When it is hot enough transfer the paratha to the pan. Cook for 30 sec to a minute. Apply ghee on the top side and flip it. Cook that side completely. Add ghee again to the new top layer, flip and cook completely. Smear ghee and take of the pan and keep covered in a casserole or hot pack to keep it warm. 

Repeat the process with the remaining dough balls. 

Serve warm with dal, pickle, or raita.

Eggless Biscoff Donut holes #FoodnFlix

Not every recipe is passed from generation to generation. Sometimes recipes churn out based on circumstances too. These donut or donut holes are such a kind. The reason to make was FoodnFlix. FoodnFlix is a fun little group that gets together each month and watches the same movie at their leisure.  Once we watch, we create a dish that was inspired by the chosen film. Wendy of A Day in the life on the farm is hosting this month. If you want to participate in Food 'n Flix, Check out this month's announcement post at A Day in the life on the farm, and drop by the Food 'n Flix site to learn more! Thanks Wendy!

The movie for the month of November 2020 was KNIVES OUT. It is a good movie. The family comes together to celebrate the 80th birthday of their dad, Harlan, a great writer. With his demise under mysterious conditions, it becomes apparent that there is nothing warm in the family at all. Their motives and hatred blurted out during questioning. More than knowing who did it, they were concerned about how much each one would gain by the death of their so called loved one. I don't want to ruin the surprise by elaborating more. It is good to watch, so go ahead and watch if you haven't already. 

Detective Blanc talks about the donut and donut hole to Marta. Also, Ransom was eating Biscoff cookies. Biscoff cookies are my favorite. I can't stop buying those or the cookie butter. In every possible way, I would use it. So, I decided to make donuts or holes with Biscoff cookies. Actually, I wanted to pipe the cookie butter too inside. But, well, next time. I wanted to make our traditional coffee too, as the cup of coffee comes in the beginning as well as at the end. I kinda like 'my house, my rules, my coffee". I am not a coffee person but love the aroma of coffee so much. May be will do that post some other time, as Biscoff dominated the decision now. Biscoff Donut Holes it is! The donut holes came out very good and soft. In our many attempts to make eggless donuts so far, this one was the best. Aquafaba (made my own) worked pretty well. And hence more experiments would be happening and the results would be published in this blog. :-)

Here is the recipe, and the step by step instructions for the donut holes. It can be made into donuts, or donut holes, or beignets too.

Ingredients

Makes 30-36 holes

All-purpose flour - 1.5 cups plus 1 or 2 tbsp

Biscoff cookie powder - 1 cup

Active dry yeast - 3/4 tsp

Aquafaba - 3 tbsp

Milk - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 2 tbsp

Butter - 3 tbsp, melted

Salt - 1/8 tsp

Water - 3 tbsp

Flaxseed powder - 1tbsp

cinnamon sugar 

Oil - 2 cups, for frying

Method

Add water to flaxseed powder and set aside for it to gel. In another bowl, add sugar, warm milk, mix and add yeast to activate it. Add the dry ingredients to a bowl, make a well, and add the activated yeast mixture, aquafaba, melted butter, and gelled flaxseed. Slowly knead to a smooth dough. Cover and set aside for 1 to 1.5 hours, till it is doubled in size.

Punch it down, fold and roll a couple of times. Then make equal sized small balls like donut holes. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes for second proving. 

Heat oil in a pan, in low-medium heat, slowly fry the holes after the second rise, about a minute each side. Drain and roll in cinnamon sugar. 

Serve.

Tips

Instead of cinnamon sugar, roll in Biscoff powder too.

The doughnut was not very sweet, maybe if you have a very sweet tooth add more sugar to the dough.

Vegan Cashew, Cilantro and Coconut Sauce

The cashew, cilantro, and coconut sauce is vegan, simple, healthy, and easy to make. All it takes is the soaking time of cashews. Soak the cashews for a couple of hours. This helps to get a creamier texture. In the meantime, get the other ingredients ready, blend everything to a smooth puree. This sauce is simple and straightforward when other things in life may be complicated. At least having this sauce would elevate the emotions and have a better day. This is a versatile sauce that could be used with rotis, or with tacos, or even as a salad dressing. See the many versatile uses of this which could turn a not-so-great day into a better one. Also, this sauce is low in carbs and if you are counting carbs, this sauce may come in handy for dips as well as a sauce for tacos or salads.

Ingredients

Cashews - 25
Coconut milk - 6 tbsp
Water - 2 tbsp
Cilantro 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Green chilli - 1 or 2
Lime juice - 1 tbsp

Method

Soak cashews for a couple of hours at least. Drain the cashews and add it to the blender or food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients. Make a smooth puree. Transfer to a bowl. Serve as a sauce for chapati, taco, or salads.

Spiced Up Turmeric Milk #FromOurDinnerTable

It is cold and definitely, we need something to keep us warm and in good health. So, our theme From Our Dinner Table group for this week is Drinks to Warm You Up. Turmeric milk is the one that came to my mind immediately. In addition to the numerous health benefits, it also provides comfort for the cold season. A hot cup of turmeric milk for the cold winter - I would say as matchless to anything. A drink of this at night also gives a goodnight's sleep. Whether having a cold, or I am in good health, I drank turmeric milk during most of my childhood days. Instead of having a chocolate drink, we had the option to drink plain or turmeric. I  have already posted the Turmeric Latte, which used to be my everyday drink. 

The spiced-up version of turmeric milk started as the pandemic began and lockdowns started. We started having this as some of the spices added here boost immunity and they are also added in our herbal teas and herbal remedies. The flavor of the spiced up version is lifted up by cinnamon, fennel, and star anise. The notes of star anise and its taste were very obvious and we love that. So why wait, just try this simple spiced up turmeric milk which could be done in 15 minutes.

Ingredients

Makes 2-4 serving

Milk - 2 cups

Turmeric - 2/3 tsp

Star anise - 1

Cinnamon - 1 -in  piece

Ginger - 1-in piece, julienne

Whole black pepper - 1/4 tsp

Cumin - 1/4 tsp

Coriander seeds - 1/4 tsp

Fennel - 1/4 tsp

Cardamom - 2

Cloves - 2

Sugar - 2 tsp, optional

Method

In a heavy-bottomed saucepot, add all the ingredients and boil on a medium flame. Once it starts to boil, lower the flame and simmer for 5 minutes.

Filter and serve immediately.

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table!  Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you're at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

Drinks to Warm You Up

Check out the following list for more Drinks to Warm You Up. Thanks, Christie for hosting this event. 

Bailey's Irish Coffee by Making Miracles

Red Wine Cocoa by That Recipe

Spiced Caramel Apple Hot Toddy by Art of Natural Living

Spiced Up Turmeric Milk by Magical Ingredients (You are here!)

Turkish Delight Coffee by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Hot Cocoa # November IHCC Potluck

Hot cocoa is the best to have a quality time with family. It gives cozy comfort in each sip while you read a book or watch a movie with family during the winter. It just brightens up the air. Making it is fun too. For a very long time, may be over 12 years, I have used Ina Garten's hot cocoa recipe. I watched her episodes in food network and tried them. I omitted the espresso in her recipe. We loved it so much that we still use her recipe. It is creamy, delicious, chocolatey, and mostly comforting. I  make this whenever my kids friends gather in our home to do projects too. So it is perfect to post her hot cocoa for the November IHCC Potluck. Off late, I have reduced the amount of half and half. Then too it is still creamy and delicious. Here is the link to her recipe. 

My modified version has half the amount of half and half, and correspondingly a little less chocolate too. This is a simple recipe. Just add everything and bring to a boil and simmer for a couple of minutes. The following makes 2 -4 servings.

Ingredients

Milk - 2 cups

Half and half - 1 cup

Milk chocolate chips - 1/3 cup

Semi sweet chocolate chips -1/3 cup

Sugar - optional

Vanilla - 1 tsp

Top with whipped cream or marshmallows if preferred.

I have used dark chocolate, white chocolate, semi and milk chocolate bars as well as chips. Hot cocoa turns out delicious every time.

Carrot and Ginger Soup #SoupSaturdaySwappers

As the days become short we tend to cook soups. Warm or hot soups make a great meal as the temperature drops. Root vegetables come in handy and make a hearty soup. The soups can be creamy with added cream or the root vegetables can make the soup creamier. The soup can be as such with more broth too. In anyways, soups are a handy and healthy meal. Carrot and ginger soup is of the kind where carrot gives a creamy texture to the soup. This soup is very simple to make but is very delicious. I make a few varieties of carrot soup, this one has the least ingredients. 

This post is for the #SoupSaturdaySwappers. The November 2020 theme is "From The Root Cellar". Carrot and ginger soup is my entry for the event. The carrots planted late summer in my backyard were getting ready and hence decided to make this soup. Freshly harvested veggies always have a great taste and enhance the flavor of anything that is cooked with those. So does this soup. I used the carrot tops and made pesto to garnish the soup (recipe here).

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Carrots - 2 cup, sliced

Ginger - 1and 1/2 tsp, julienne

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Whole black pepper - 1/3 tsp

Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped

Garlic - 1 tsp, chopped

Water - 2.5 cups

Carrot leaf pesto - 2-3 tbsp, optional

Method

In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil on a medium flame. Cook the onions till translucent. Then, add the ginger and garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the carrots and water. 

Bring it to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Blend to smooth puree in a blender or with an immersion blender. Transfer to the saucepot and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Ladle to individual serving bowls. 

Garnish with carrot leaf pesto and serve.

Here is the list with links for the November 2020 #SoupSaturdaySwappers.Thanks Camila for hosting the event this month.

Autumn Soup with Freshly Dug Potatoes and Prawns by Culinary Adventures with Camilla 

Carrot and Ginger Soup by Magical Ingredients  (You are here!)

Colombian Chicken and Potato Soup (Ajiaco) by Karen's Kitchen Stories 

Danish Potato Soup by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking 

Potato & Radish Dahi Kadhi by Sneha's Recipe 

Puree of Celery Root Soup by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Russian Ragu Iz Ovoshej by Pandemonium Noshery 

Sausage, Potato and Sauerkraut Soup by Palatable Pastime 

Savory Root Vegetable Soup by Making Miracles

Creamy French Red Lentil Soup with Ham Stock by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

Pumpkin, Paneer, and Cranberry Rolls #CranberryWeek

The pumpkin bread base is one of the favorites in our home. They are very soft, delicious, and addictive. The pumpkin is not overwhelming. but is mild in flavor. I can sneak the pumpkins to a picky eater who doesn't want to see chunks of pumpkin on the plate. As we love fresh-baked bread, other than making it as loaves, or rolls, I add fillings to them too. Paneer is Indian cottage cheese and used fresh crumbly ones in this recipe along with cranberries and of course almonds. Cranberries and almonds are divine and my favorite combination. These rolls are not very sweet. Paneer has a mild sweet taste and the dried cranberries are sweet too. A sugar glaze is optional but we like it this way. 

They are the perfect ones to have as a breakfast roll along with coffee or tea. They are a perfect snack too. Any spices like cinnamon or cardamom can be added to enhance the flavor. The bread uses heavy cream instead of butter. I roasted the pumpkins and used them. Feel free to use canned ones (make sure it is pumpkins alone and not pie filling). Also, steamed and pureed pumpkin can also be used. I make fresh paneer often at home and used them. The paneer can be made ahead of a day too and make sure to store them in the refrigerator. Store-bought paneer blocks can be finely grated and used too.

It is a better idea to refrigerate the leftovers for extending shelf life as they have paneer (cheese) in them. When needed, just pop in the warm settings in your oven for a few minutes and serve. 

This is the 5th-day post for the #CranberryWeek. I enjoyed sharing recipes in the group and it was exciting to read and learn from others the new ideas for using cranberries. 

Ingredients

Makes 12 rolls

All-purpose flour - 3 cups

Heavy cream - 2/3 cup

Milk - 1/3 cup

Pumpkin puree - 1/2 cup

Salt - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1/4 cup

Yeast - 1.5 tsp

Butter - 2 tbsp, melted for brushing the rolls

For paneer

makes 1 cup fresh paneer

Milk - 4 cups

Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

For the filling

Fresh paneer - 1 cup, crumbled 

Dried sweetened cranberries - 1/2 cup

Almonds - 1/2 cup

Method

In a heavy-bottomed saucepot, boil the milk on a medium flame. Make sure it doesn't burn at the bottom. When it starts to boil, add the lemon juice. The milk will begin to curdle. Simmer for a minute till all the milk curdles completely. Strain, rinse with water, and hang it on cheesecloth to drain the water completely for about 30 minutes. 

Pulse the dried cranberries and almonds in a food processor to a coarse texture, but not powdery. Transfer to a bowl, and add the paneer. Mix well and set aside in the refrigerator.

Add the wet ingredients followed by the dried ones to the pan of the bread machine. Finally, add yeast and set it on the dough cycle. 

Once the first rise is done, transfer the dough to a surface well dusted with flour. Punch, roll and repeat for 2-3 minutes. Then roll the dough into a1/4 inch thick rectangle. Brush the dough with melted butter. Spread the paneer cranberry almond mixture onto the dough rectangle. 

Roll gently from one end similar to how you would roll for cinnamon buns. Cut into 12 slices and arrange on a silicone or parchment-lined baking tray. Cover and let it rise for 30 min. 

Preheat the oven to 350. brush the rolls with butter. Bake for 18-19 minutes. Take it out when the edges change color and when tapped, the bottom should sound hollow. Brush with melted butter. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes. 

Serve warm. 

Friday Cranberry Recipes for #CranberryWeek

Cranberry Broccoli Slaw by Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Cranberry Fluff Salad by Cheese Curd In Paradise

The Madras Cocktail by Family Around the Table

Cranberry and Onion Pinwheels by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Cranberry Pecan Pinwheels by Kate's Recipe Box

Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Biscotti by Sweet Beginnings

Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders w/ Cranberry Ketchup by Savory Moments

Pumpkin, Paneer, and Cranberry Rolls by Magical Ingredients (you are here)

White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge by House of Nash Eats

Christmas Cranberry Martini by Our Crafty Cocktails

Thanks, Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures for hosting #CranberryWeek on such short notice! 

Tip

I used my bread machine to knead and for the first proof. If you are kneading, initially the dough may be a little sticky, use 1 or 2 tbsp flour and knead to a smooth dough. Allow it to proof for 1 hour.