Festival legend Cyrus Todiwala @cyrustodi will be joining us once again in September. His new book Modern Indian is out on 5 June (White Lion Publishing). Below you will find a recipe for Moong Daal Samosas. He’ll be demonstrating dishes from his new book on our chef stage in the Market Hall (book signing afterwards).
‘Modern Indian, showcases inventive and delicious dishes for every occasion. Whether hosting an intimate gathering or a show-stopping celebration, Cyrus’s delicious recipes can be effortlessly scaled to suit your needs. They’re a journey through the vibrant and diverse world of Indian flavours, from savoury bites to sweet treats. Cyus invites you to reimagine the art of Indian cooking, offering dishes that can be perfectly adapted for small plates or combined for fabulous feasts, each bursting with flavour and ingenuity.’
[banner image: Cyrus on the chef dem stage with Dina Macki 2024]
MOONG DAAL SAMOSAS
Allahabadi Samosas – Makes 8 or 10
For the Pastry
250g (8 ¾ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 tbsp ghee or neutral oil
For the Filling
3 tbsp neutral oil, plus extra for deep frying
1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed
¼ tsp asafoetida
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
4 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp amchoor (mango powder) or lime powder
600g (1lb 5oz) split yellow mung beans, soaked in water for 2–3 hours, then blitzed in a blender to a coarse pure.
2 long green chillies, finely chopped 1 handful of spinach, chopped 4 tbsp peas, defrosted if frozen
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
Method
In the city of Allahabad you’ll find some deliciously unique samosas. Instead of being stuffed with a ‘wet’ filling – and by wet I mean something that has been cooked in a pan and softened, and could be eaten on its own – a moong daal samosa is filled with ground lentil powder or soaked and ground lentils that are cooked until dry. Here, I’ve added my own twist by adding the green peas and green chillies found in classic samosas into this daal version.
Start by making the pastry. Sift the flour with the salt into a bowl. Add the ghee or oil and gently rub it in until it is well mixed, then add cold water, a little at a time, until a firm yet smooth dough forms. Cover and set it aside, while you make the filling.
Heat the 3 tablespoons of oil in a wok or frying pan (skillet) over a low-medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and then the asafoetida. As soon as the cumin changes colour, add the remaining spices, soaked and blended split yellow mung beans and green chillies. Mix together and fry well, making sure you regularly scrape the bottom of the pan with a flat spatula to prevent sticking.
When the mixture naturally stops sticking to the pan, stir in the spinach, peas and coriander and remove from the heat. Taste to season, and transfer the contents to a bowl to cool.
Meanwhile, tip the rested dough on to a lightly floured work surface. Gently knead the dough into a smooth ball and then roll it out into a cylinder shape roughly 2.5cm–3cm (1in–1.in) thick. Cut into 4 or 5 equal slices. Roll each slice into a flat disc roughly 2mm (1/8in) thick. Cut each disc in half, to create 8 or 10 semi circles.
Place a small bowl of water to one side – this will help you seal the samosas. Take one semi-circle and bring the cut edges together to form a cone. Using your fingers dipped in water, brush along one of the edges and gently press together with your thumb and forefinger to seal, creating an open pocket for the filling.
Spoon some of the cooled filling into the open samosa pocket – it should be three-quarters full – then apply some more water with your finger to the remaining open edge and press together again to seal and create a puffed-up triangle. Repeat until all of the samosas are stuffed and sealed.
In a large, deep pan, over a medium heat, heat enough neutral oil to submerge the samosas. (The oil can be reused for cookings, so long as you cool and strain it well and store it in a sterilised jar or bottle.) The oil is hot enough when you gently lower a samosa into the oil and after a few seconds it bobs up to the surface. Take care not to overheat the oil. Fry the samosas in batches, if required.
Cook until the samosas are browned on all sides. Carefully scoop out using a spider strainer or tongs and drain on kitchen towel (paper towel). If you’re not planning to serve immediately, fry for half the time so the pastry is cooked but not coloured. Drain as above, leave to cool completely and then chill in the fridge and either fry again or bake in a preheated oven at 130ãC fan/150ãC/300ãF/Gas 2 for 15–20 minutes or until golden and crisp. The samosas can also be cooked and reheated in an air fryer, if you have one.