Naan bread is a delicious flat bread that is very popular in many Indian restaurants. It is similar to pita bread, which is another tasty flat bread. However, just because naan is flat does not mean it is unleavened. In fact, this naan recipe calls for yeast, which will make your bread puff up. You can then just gently pat it down with a spatula to flatten it before serving.
Traditionally, naan bread is baked in a clay oven. Let me tell you, nothing compares to that authentic flavour of naan from a clay oven! But, since we of course don’t have clay ovens in our houses, here’s a simple way to try Naan at home on your stovetop. Use a non-stick pan so you do not have to put any oil on the pan at all. Cooking it without oil will make the taste as close to oven-baked naan bread as possible.
When you are kneading the bread, make sure the water you add is lukewarm. When you go to divide the bread into balls and roll it, first moisten your hands with a little cooking oil. This will make it easier to work with.
Many people, myself included, like to spread a bit of ghee butter or Moroccan hummus on their naan bread. You can also serve it alongside all types of curries or Indian dishes with sauces like this malai kofta.
I just love bringing samosas to my friends’ parties. Everyone’s faces light up when they see me walk in the door with this tasty finger food. Like my Vegetable Samosas, Chickpea Samosas are completely vegetarian, so everyone can enjoy them.
They also make the perfect accompaniment for any dish, such as this Mussel Rassam Curry.
Ingredients:
Preparation Method:
To make the pastry:
To make the samosa filling:
Note: Hot oil can be dangerous and should never be left unattended.
Takes: 10 hours
Makes: 8 large chickpea samosas
Bhaturas are Indian fried puffy breads. They actually puff up as you deep fry them, which is why they are a lot of fun to make. This is a lovely recipe I learned from my grandmother. (If you want more ideas, try this cheese and onion bread recipe.)
Since they are neither sweet nor salty, Bhaturas are very versatile. You can drizzle your favourite chutney on them. Check out my chutney recipes on my homepage.
Many Indians serve these tasty breads with Channa Masala.
Ingredients:
Preparation Method:
Makes: 5 Bhaturas
Takes: 30 minutes (plus 5 hours for the dough to sit)
Gulab Jamoon is a delicious Indian dessert. It consists of deep fried balls of dough, called jamoons, in a sugary syrup. Gulab Jamoon was served at all my cousins’ weddings. In fact, it is one of the most typical desserts served at traditional Indian weddings, and one of my very favourites of all sweets.
These days, gulab jamoon powder is internationally available, so it’s not difficult to find and pepare; however, it takes a little more time compared to other desserts as it sometimes requires being dipped in sugar syrup for whole night. The texture resembles the liqueur syrup-saturated French cake Baba au Rhum.
They also remind me a bit of doughnuts. Speaking of, did you know that May 12th through May 19th is national doughnut week? Maybe you should try this recipe to celebrate!
The term gulab jamoon comes from Persia, and it means “rose water”, referring to its rosewater-scented syrup. This very tasty dessert is often eaten at important celebrations, like weddings, but also commonly enjoyed at Diwali (the Indian festival of light) and the Muslim celebrations of Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
There are lots of varieties when it comes to gulab jamoon, and each one has its one appearance and special taste. You can eat them cold, but our favourite way to enjoy gulab jamoon is to warm them a bit before serving. It adds another dimension to the dish;Â it’s perfect for special occasions when you want something more exotic than cake.
I got this recipe from my aunt, who really knows how to make tasty sweets.
Vegetable Samosas make a delicious snack at a party. They also work well as an accompaniment to a curry dish such as this Mussel Rassam recipe or as a starter. Eat them hot just after you’ve cooked them, or keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days and eat them cold. I like them with a big dollop of mango chutney, but if you don’t want the fuss of spoons and forks, just enjoy them as a finger food.
Ingredients
To make the pastry
• 380g plain white flour
• 155g white self-raising flour
• 130g butter
To make the samosa filling
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pinch of panch phoron (Bengali five-spice)
• 2 onions, chopped finely
• 3 large potatoes, cut into small cubes
• 100g peas
• 1 green chilli, chopped finely (add another if you like your samosas hot!)
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• Salt
• Vegetable oil in which to deep fry
Preparation Method
To make the pastry:
1. Put the 2 types of flour along with the butter into a mixing bowl and work the contents together. Drop in a dash of warm water and knead the mixture into a dough that should be elastic in consistency.
2. Make 12 dough balls and with a rolling pin, roll each ball into a circle. Then cut each circle in half.
To make the samosa filling:
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan; add the panch phoron and the onions; and fry until the onions turn a lovely golden brown. Add the chillies, turmeric, potatoes and peas; then season with salt. Cook the vegetables on a low heat until they are soft, stirring the contents of the pan frequently.
4. Make little islands with the filling on the half-circles of dough, using a teaspoon. 1 teaspoon on each piece of dough should be enough. Fold the dough into triangle shapes.
5. Take a heavy-based pan, fill it halfway with vegetable oil, and heat on high. You’ll know when the oil is ready to use if you drop a tiny piece of onion or other small piece of leftover veg into the oil and it sizzles immediately. Lower a few of the dough parcels into the hot oil and deep fry for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-looking and golden brown in colour.
6. Using a slotted spoon to drain the oil, carefully scoop the samosas out onto a plate covered with a piece of kitchen roll which will remove some of the excess oil. Repeat the process with the remaining parcels, cooking a few at a time. When all of the samosas are cooked and drained, they are ready to serve.
Note: Hot oil can be dangerous and should never be left unattended.
Takes: 65 minutes
Makes: 24 Vegetable Samosas
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