Recipies

MINT CHUTNEY

Prepration Time:
10
Cook Time:
0
Servings:
4
Recipe Description:
Mint Chutney is very versatile. It can be served as a dip with appetizers (example pappad, samosas, kebabs, etc.) or it can be used as a spread in sandwiches – with cucumber or tomatoes and cheese (yummy!) and best of all, it plays a key part in making chaat.
Ingredients:
Mint leaves – ½ cup, packed Onion – ¼ of a medium Tomato – ½ of a medium Ginger – ½” piece Garlic – 1 clove Green Chili – 1 or to taste Lemon Juice – ¼ cup Salt – ½ tsp (or to taste) Chat Masala – ½ tsp Sugar – ½ tsp
Directions:
1. In a blender, add the following – Onion, Tomato, Ginger, Garlic, Green Chili and Lemon Juice. Grind well. 2. Add in the washed Mint leaves, Salt, Chat Masala and Sugar and grind again till the mixture becomes smooth and everything has blended well. 3. Pour into serving dish. 4. Makes about ½ cup and can be served with pakodas, Puda, chaat…. Tips: 1. Be sure to use only the leaves of the Mint – discard the stalks. 2. When available, add a little bit of raw green mango to the chutney for additional flavor. 3. Store in the refrigerator. Mint Chutney has a shelf life of about 7-10 days. 4. Mint Chutney freezes well also and can be kept for the times when Mint is not readily available.

GHEE (Clarified Butter)

Ghee is clarified butter, or butter which has the solids or “impurities” removed. It is actually pure; therefore it is best cooking medium; requires no refrigeration, and keeps indefinitely. It is more healthful than any other cooking oil.

Ghee can be used for deep frying, for making spicing masala, for regular cooking, pan frying, and in breads and baked goods. When it becomes filled with food particles from repeated deep frying, it can be cleaned by heating to a liquid and straining it through a cheese cloth.

Recipe
5 lbs. of butter should yield over ½ gallon of ghee. Cooking time 30-40 minutes.

Melt butter in a thick bottom pot and boil on a medium flame. Gradually the impurities will separate. Don’t stir or the butter will burn; just boil. When bubbles appear on surface and the butter has turned amber color, it is done. Immediately after it separates, strain through cheese cloth.

Comments
Ghee is very important, being the essence of the miracle food, milk. Dietary fats are very good for their palatability and satiety value, as a source of concentrated energy, as a carrier of the fat soluble vitamins and as a source of essential fatty acids. In Ayurveda ghee is known as a rasayana or rejuvenator that supports overall health and wellbeing. It is lactose free and helps to balance excess stomach acid and maintain a healthy mucus lining in the stomach. It enkindles the digestive fire without aggravating pitta. Ghee is one of the most valuable foods for good mental and physical health.

SAMOSAS

Filling:

4 large potatoes
½ lb. peas
¼ cup ghee
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 minced green chilies
2 teaspoons fresh ginger (minced)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon asafetida

Boil whole potatoes and peas separately until tender. Heat ghee and add cumin seed, ginger and chilies until seeds are brown. Then add the potatoes and peas and other spices, stir and mix well.

Dough:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
about 2/3 cup water
3 tablespoons ghee or butter
Ghee for deep frying

To make the dough, cut ghee into the whole wheat pastry flour. Mix together with hands until it is the consistency of coarse corn meal. Slowly add water. Mix well and then knead until dough is completely soft—about 5 minutes.

Pinch off balls of dough about 2″ in diameter. Using a rolling pin roll each ball in circles 6″ diameter; Place 2-3 tablespoons of filling inside and fold closed. Press firmly on the seam, pinch, twist and fold the sealed edge in successive folds to form a fluted top (similar to a traditional pie crust edge). Each samosa should have 10-12 little pressed down folds.

The final objective is to have a triangular or fan shaped samosa. They must be well sealed so that they will not break open during the deep frying.

Heat the ghee for deep frying. Deep fry samosas until golden and flakey. Tap lightly with tongs or spoon–if it sounds hollow, it is done. This the most delicious pastry ever made! Makes 15. Serve hot.