Curry Recipes Online
British Indian Restaurant Recipes - Starters & Side Dishes => Starters and Side Dishes Chat => Topic started by: curryhell on October 30, 2013, 09:46 PM
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I regularly receive requests from work colleagues for onion bhajis, but more so for samosas, as their appearance tends to be somewhat rarer ::)
As those of you who make them from scratch will know, that whilst the process is simple, the time it takes from start to finish if making any quantity is substantial. Whenever i make them it's always a minimum of 2 dozen. I could easily make 4 dozen but these too would disappear in no time at all. It's great that my fellow workers enjoy my food and want it as often as they can get it, but they fail to realise the work and more so the time involved in providing it.
In order to satisfy their yearnings whilst at the same time reduce the time period I spend in the kitchen, I decided to try and break the process down and see if i could spread the steps over a day or so rather than having to do the whole thing in one go.
Filling, not a problem. Prepare one day and use whenever.
Dough and preparing the pastry for the cones - here was the issue. The dough is no effort but the rolling out, filling and frying all together is, espeically when doing 2 dozen plus.
So i decided to prepare the dough and roll out the pastry and prepare as i normally do and then wrap, seal and leave for a day or so to see what impact it had on the pastry when i tried to make the cone, fill it, seal it and then fry it. This is all with a view to freezing it in future so that the time spent at any one session is greatly reduced.
Here's the results:
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/3c8015e4c191eaf0d730e5e8ada4ead8.jpg) (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/#3c8015e4c191eaf0d730e5e8ada4ead8.jpg)
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/a9d235bc3d828111b021c4b51b0da2d2.jpg) (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/#a9d235bc3d828111b021c4b51b0da2d2.jpg)
Results are in: in terms of quality, all samosas devoured and loads of satisfied groans and ahh's received. So no impact on product quality :D
Time wise: I can knock out enough pastry for 24 cones in less than an hour without the need to then have to stand there, fill them, seal them and then fry them.
Definitely the way to go. Final check is to make, freeze, defrost then finish them.
Yet again my guinea pigs get fed ;D ;D and i don't spend the entire afternoon working on samosas ::)
EDIT
I forgot to add, the 2 dozen i took in last week prior to the experimental batch, were accompanied by CBM's tamarind sauce diluted to make a dipping sauce. They all raved about this and it too was promptly devoured and then added to the standing order along with the samosas :o :o
I just knew it would make a perfect accompaniment to samosas and onion bhajis. LUSH :P
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And when was it you exepected to be in Southampton to drop my two dozen off again? ;)
They look LUSH, m8!! yummmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!
Pete
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Hi CH
Have you a recipe for these please?
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Hi CH, I'd be very interested in seeing a little how-to guide post with recipe for the dough, filling and notes on storing the pastry and finished products - if you fancy a little homework! (Sorry) :D
I've never dipped a toe into samosa making but if you've figured a way of making it convenient, wot perhaps the finished product freezable and deep-fry from frozen, that might be the perfect freezer filler.
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Those look amazing - Samosas are one of the best starters although a bit time consuming the few times I've made them from scratch. I've never gotten the pastry quite right though - would love to see a how-to/recipe for them.
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They look great CH - are they filled with veg or lamb?
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I'm with the others - they look great! And a wee walkthrough on recipe and technique would be most welcome. :)
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The best I've seen anybody do on here CH
Always a bit hit and miss when I buy these.
Very rarely do much baking, but being inspired by yours
I might give it a go when time allows. Thanks for sharing ;)
cheers Chewy
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Come on, CH! - could ya do us mere mortals a recipe and howto, please m8?
It's that or a national delivery service I'm afraid. You'll be WELL busy ;)
Pete
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Cheers guys for the compliments. That batch was vegetable as was last weeks 2 dozen. Less faffing and a damn sight cheaper ;) I normally make a dozen of each and then freeze the lamb filling for later use.
Cheers CT. Baking :o :o :o Deep frying more like ;D
Ok, i'll do my homework and post up the recipes and a few pics showing the process. I've had this in the in tray for a while. I do love home made samosas with proper pastry which drove me to crack this one. Years ago this is how they were always served. Nowadays in restaurants, its those awful bought in filo pastry things - YUK >:(
The experiment isn't quite finished. I need to confirm the results, having frozen the pastry and made them. And finally, the results after a part cook, freeze and a cook from frozen to finish.
What ever the next set of results, i'm happy that i can make the pastry today and finish them the next day or day after, having had it in the fridge. That in itself eases the pain, with a thumbs up from the testers :D :D
I'll post the recipes over the next few days in the correct section of the forum and wait for the feedback from you all ;)
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Look fantastic CH............Wow.....lucky workmates. 8)
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I'll post the recipes over the next few days in the correct section of the forum and wait for the feedback from you all ;)
Awesome - eagerly awaiting them! I've had a number of attempts at making the pastry - have tried different recipes with unique ingredients and I still can't get the consistency/texture right after frying. The result has been tasty filling that I could have just eaten without all the effort wasted on the sub-par crust!!
I will definitely be trying and reporting back immediately - the fryer is standing by! ;D
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Wow! Those look awesome mate, really neat and professional! An Indian lady showed me how to make samosas but yours look even better than hers. I too would be interested to try your version so please do post the recipes for dough and fillings! ;)
You're right those filo ones are a far cry from proper ones. I like to put a teaspoon of ajwain seeds in my samosa dough. It gives them that extra "something". 8)
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I like to put a teaspoon of ajwain seeds in my samosa dough. It gives them that extra "something". 8)
Absolutely or maybe even kalonji :D Thanks for all the positive comments. I'll try to get this posted up over the weekend
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I like to put a teaspoon of ajwain seeds in my samosa dough. It gives them that extra "something". 8)
I've actually seen this in a number of the (good) prepared samosas I've bought as well as some of the restaurant ones here in the states. I definitely think it adds a nice touch.
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For those that want to try my recipe, i have just finished the rather long write up and have asked my proof reader to check it out for any damning errors or naff instructons. So it should be posted in the very near future ;D
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Nice one, CH - looking forward to it! :)
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Look delicious CH. Love the bubbling effect of the pastry, an indication of a proper samosa. My efforts to date have been poor to say the least, so I resort to ready-made frozen, some are OK, except for the pastry, which is never right. My local TA however has just got a new brand in (Spicy Bites) and they have the best ready-made pastry I've ever seen/tasted. I know where they got them from. On special offer at 2 bags (40 samosas) for a fiver! Going to pop out later and get some. I will try to make some samosas again one day, but for the moment I'm going to be lazy.
Rob :)
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Love the bubbling effect of the pastry, an indication of a proper samosa.
Totally agree Rob. That's what sets them aside from the horrid filo pastry things. Trouble is at a
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Excellent! Looks like I should set aside time to make a batch or two of samosas this weekend!
Without the bubbled pastry it just isn't the same - have tried many frozen brands but only one here in the states that I've found has anything close to the right pastry and they aren't exactly cheap!
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The wait is over. Thanks to Natterjak for proofing a recipe of mine yet again. Cheers Chris.
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,12497.0.html (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,12497.0.html)
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Just finished the final part of the experiment. I can report that there are no adverse affects having had the cases in the freezer for over a week. Got them out and left them in the lock and lock box in the fridge yesterday to defrost. Took them out and left them today to come up to room temp. Filled, sealed and cooked them tonight. The pastry behaved no differently than it would have done had i just made it using my normal dry fry method. I'll get confirmation from the troops tomorrow when they carry out the formal sampling with some Dips mint sauce and CBM's tamarind (sauce) dip ;) Unfortunately, the pic was taken on my phone so not as accurate as usual
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/90099feb2880e71b07da75fd17849673.jpg) (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/#90099feb2880e71b07da75fd17849673.jpg)
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Still looking superb, Dave! I definitely think you'll get the thumbs up from the food critics mate! :)
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And they said being a culinary scientist would be boring!! ;D
Yeah..... right....
Nice one CH - proof of the flexibility of the samosa dough - passed!
Pete
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Very happy with the experiment results Pete. Thanks to Natterjak for carrying out the freezing of the finished product, cooked and uncooked and reporting his findings :) The jigsaw is now complete for me and the whole process of making my, and my work colleagues favourite snacks has been broken down into nice "bite size" chunks which i can plan and work in advance and when it suits. Beneficial for all concerned.
Of course, I did some sampling just to make sure quality was ok ;D ;D
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/41adc63039f4d839d5eb534925d0ef68.jpg) (http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/#41adc63039f4d839d5eb534925d0ef68.jpg)
They passed, and the dips were a lovely compliment to the flavour :P :P
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Cracking job, CH
Thanks fopr all your efforts on our behalf, I am sure we all appreciate the tie and er... effort of tasting you had to force yourself to endure, m8 he he!
Seriously - bl@@dy good job, m8!
Pete