Samosa                                                                               

Filling:

2-3 tbs safflower oil

I small cauliflower, chopped fine

6 oz frozen peas

1/8 cup melted butter

1 tsp cumun seed

½  tsp ground ginger

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp cayenne pepper

¼  tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground coriander

Dough:

2 cups unbleached or organic white flour

4 tbs melted butter or margarine

little over ½  cup warm water

safflower oil for frying

This and the following East Indian recipes are what I make for Winter Solstice. They are based on recipes from The Hare Krishna Cookbook.This recipe as the following ones exemplify that in true Indian cooking; curry spice as marketed in North America is not used. Each cook has her unique combination of basic spices. These are put in the hot oil to cook until the spices sizzle, but do not burn. This is called making the massala. Heat oil and throw in spices,  heat until cumin seeds sizzle, but do not burn spices. Add cauliflower and peas, and simmer on low heat covered. If it becomes dry add several tablespoons of water and cover to steam for awhile. When vegetables become soft, turn off heat. Set aside,

Cut butter or margarine into flour, until mixed with flour is like coarse sand. Add water and knead until it is a consistency that sticks together. Pinch balls that are about 1 inch in diameter. Hold ball in two hands with thumbs in the middle. Turn and squeeze ball pinching with your thumbs and fingers at each turn until it is about 3 inches in diameter. Put flour on the counter to roll out circle of dough. Turn dough a quarter turn after two or three strokes. Brush the top with flour and turn it completely over once in awhile. Continue until circle is about 6-7 inches in diameter. Cut circle in half. Take one semicircle and hold between your fingers and thumb, creating a cone. Stick the sides of the cone together with water on your fingers. Fill the cone with a 1-2 tbs of filling. Pinch the top of the cone together with little crimps along the edge. Make sure the samosa is totally sealed so that the filling will not fall out when fiying.

Heat 3 inches of oil in wok. Insure oil is hot enough, by dropping a piece of dough into oil and seeing if it rises. Drop 3 samosas at a time into oil. Turn with slotted spoon. Cook both sides until brown, but be careful no to burn the samosa. Allow the oil to reheat before putting in

the next three samosa. Put them on a cooking sheet with brown paper in the oven which is set on warm.

Serve as an appetizer with one of the following chutneys.

Raisin Chutney

You can always buy a chutney, but it is fun and inexpensive to make your own. They are basically like a sweet-spicey jam.

½  lb raisins

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 chili peppers water

honey

melted butter or oil

Heat butter. Add cumin and chili peppers (known as making massala). Add raisins and then add water to cover raisins. Simmer for an hour, until a jam like consistency. Add honey. Refrigerate and serve cold.

Apple Chutney

5 apples, peeled and chopped in small chunks

1 ½  cup water

¼  cup butter or oil

2 tbs crushed chilis

1 tsp nutmeg

¼  tsp cloves

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup honey

Heat butter, then add spices to make massala. Add apples and honey, cover with water and simmer until a thick consistency.

Cucumber Raita

Yogurt salad is a normal accompaniment to an Indian meal to quiet the heat.

1 large cucumber

2 cups plain, unsweetened yogurt

½  tsp ground cumin

½  tsp sea salt

pinch of cayenne

Peel and thinly slice cucumber. Add yogurt and spices. Toss well and chill.

Rice with Peas

1 ½  tbs melted butter  or oil

½  tbs crushed chilis

½  tsp black pepper

¼  cup shelled, split peanuts and/or 1 cup frozen peas

1 ¼  washed brown basmati rice

½  tsp sea salt

2 ½  cups water

Heat butter and add chilis, peppers and peanuts. Then put this and all other ingredients in a pressure cooker. Cook for 20 minutes once pressure cooker comes to pressure, otherwise simmer for 40 minutes until rice is soft. If using white rice cook 10-15 minutes in a regular pan.

Potatoes, Cauliflower and Peas

4 potatoes, peeled and diced

8 oz peas

1 cauliflower, cut in small pieces

1 tsp tumeric

2 tsp sea salt

¼  tsp cayenne

½  tsp cumin powder

melted butter or oil

Heat butter and add spices to make massala. Add vegetables and saute for several minutes. Add water to cover mixture. Cover and simmer until vegetables are soft. Any vegetables can be cooked in this way.

Dahl

1 cup split peas

1-2 crushed chilis

2 tbs melted butter

5 cups water

1 tsp sea salt

2 tsp tumeric

½  tsp cumun seeds

Heat butter, add spices to make massala. Add peas and water. Cook until peas are soft. This is the basic source of protein in the Indian diet.