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Foodie Thursday - Diwali

Alongside Simon Vivek Singh sits in for Nigel Barden for a Diwali-themed 'Foodie Thursday'. Vivek will be serving pumpkin pickle with poories and Kerala spiced puff pastry patties served for big occasions like Diwali.

1 hour, 55 minutes

Last on

Thu 27 Oct 2016 17:05
Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 2

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Poories, Pumpkin pickle, Puff Chicken and Pastry Patties

Poories

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Poories (or ‘luchis’ as they are called in Bengal) are an excellent accompaniment to dry curries and they are very popular with children as a snack.

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In Bengal they may use a tad more oil or ghee when making their dough, which produces a crisper bread. They also use refined flour more than wholewheat flour which is the norm in the rest of India.

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Finally the Bengalis like to use some onion seeds and ajwain in their bread, which makes it dramatic in appearance, more flavoursome to eat, and easier to digest!Ìý

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Makes 20

500g (1lb 2oz) plain flour or chapatti flour (or half and half)

2 tsp salt

1 tbsp ghee or oil

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp ajwain seeds

1 tsp kalonji or black onion seeds

250 ml (81/2fl oz) water

2 tbsp oil, for rolling

1 litre corn or vegetable oil to fry

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Method

1. Mix the flour, salt, sugar and seeds together in a bowl and then rub in the ghee or oil with your fingers until it is thoroughly blended with the flour.

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2. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the water, little by little, to make stiff dough. Work the dough well with your hands and cover with a damp cloth then set aside for 15 minutes.

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3. Divide the dough into 20 pieces and cover once more with the damp cloth.

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4. Whilst your oil is heating in your deep-fryer or wok, roll the dough into smooth balls. Apply a little oil to the dough balls then, using a rolling pin, roll out to make circular discs, approximately 10cm (4 in) in diameter.

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5. Deep fry the poories in the hot oil for 1-2 minutes, or until they have puffed up and are crisp and golden.

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Pumpkin pickle

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This is my mother’s recipe of a sweet pumpkin pickle and I am a great fan of this rich, sweet and spicy dish with strong flavours. It’s fantastic with parathas and may even be used as a spread in sandwiches or to perk up.

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Serves 4

4 tbsp Oil

½ tsp Fenugreek seeds

4 Whole dried red chillies, broken in 2-3 pcs each

700g Peeled and ½ inch Diced pumpkin

1 tsp Turmeric

2 tsp Salt

3 tsp Red chilli powder

5 tbsp Sugar

2 tsp Dried amchoor or Mango pickle masala

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Method

1. Peel, dice and wash pumpkin, drain and keep aside.

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2. Heat oil, add fenugreek seeds and dried red chillies and allow to pop.

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3. Add pumpkin and stir over high heat for 3-4 minutes.

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4. Add salt, red chilli powder and turmeric, reduce heat, cover and cook until the pumpkin is soft and begins to get mashed.

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5. Add sugar to give sweetness which balances the heat and spice and also makes the pickle glossy.

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6. Finish with dried amchoor pieces or a couple of tsp of Mango pickle from the bottle.

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Tip

This pumpkin pickle makes an excellent accompaniment for game dishes such as grouse or deer etc.

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Puff Chicken and pastry patties

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These puff pastry parcels are a great snack, relatively quick to make and you can fill them with anything you like. Maybe boiled eggs, spicy shrimp filling or just a filling of vegetables. These are a great snack to offer to kids at Festivals and are frequently seen on Christmas menus when feeding large families.

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I have picked this recipe as I imagine Nigel must be enjoying one of these right now lying on the Kovalam beach with a chilled Kingfisher in his other hand! Here’s to you, Nigel.

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Makes 20-24

4 tbsp vegetable oil

2 inch piece of cinnamon

12-15 curry leavesÌý

3 medium red onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp red chilli powder

11/2 tsp salt

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 green chillies, stalk removed and finely chopped

1 tsp Garam MasalaÌýÌý

450 g Chicken thighs, cooked & shredded (or leftover roast chicken)

1 tsp Peppercorns, coarsely cracked

Juice of 1 lime

1 roll Puff Pastry Sheet

1 egg for brushing

Fennel seeds to sprinkle

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Method

1. Sprinkle chicken thighs with ½ tsp salt, 1tsp red chilli powder and 1 tbsp oil, and either roast in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes or add 150 ml water and cook in a pan for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the water is almost absorbed. Cool and shred the chicken, reserve any leftover juices.

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2. In a separate pan, heat remaining oil, add curry leaves and sliced onions and cook for 5-6 minutes until translucent. Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté Ìýfor 2 minutes.

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3. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, salt and garam masala to this and sauté for another minute or two. Add the shredded chicken to this and mix until well combined. Add the coarsely crushed pepper, chopped green chillies and chopped ginger. Mix well.

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4. Finish with a squeeze of lime. Remove from flame and cool the mixture.

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5. Roll out the puff pastry to approximately 3-4 mm thick, then cut into squares approx 3 inches each side. Line the sides of the pastry with water or egg wash and place the filling in the centre. Fold the edges to seal in a triangular shape.

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6. Once all the puffs are done, brush the tops with the remaining egg and sprinkle with fennel seeds on top.

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7. Arrange the Puffs in a baking tray lined with parchment paper or greased with butter/oil. Preheat the oven at 170 degrees Celsius and bake the puffs for 12-14 minutes or until they are golden brown and crisp.

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Broadcast

  • Thu 27 Oct 2016 17:05
    Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 2