Vegetable Samosas

Ingredients (serves 4)

• Oil, to fry
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3/4 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• Pinch chilli powder
• 250g potato, cooked, diced
• 1/4 cup (40g) Birds Eye frozen peas, thawed
• 1 tbs chopped fresh coriander
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 (25 x 25cm) sheets ready rolled puff pastry, thawed
• Tzatziki dip, to serve

Method

1. Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the cumin, ground coriander, turmeric and chilli and cook for 30 seconds. Add the potatoes, peas, fresh coriander and lemon juice and stir. Set aside to cool.
2. Use a 12cm round cutter to cut out 4 circles from each sheet of pastry. Working with one circle at a time, roll to make a cone shape. Place 2 tbs of the mixture into the centre and fold the top of the pastry over and pinch to close. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling.
3. Pour oil into a saucepan to one-third of the way up the side. Heat the oil over a medium-high heat until it reaches 180°C (a cube of bread will be golden in 15 seconds). In batches, cook samosas for 2 minutes until puffed and golden. Drain on paper towel. Serve with tzatziki dip.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 750ml (3 cups) vegetable oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbs cumin seeds
• 1 tbs fresh curry leaves
• 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 300g potato, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces
• 1 tbs water
• 90g (1/2 cup) frozen peas and corn, thawed
• 4 sheets (25 x 25cm) frozen ready-rolled puff pastry, just thawed

• Coriander chutney

• 1 cup firmly packed fresh coriander leaves
• 3 shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
• 1 long fresh green chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbs fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp garam masala

Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft and light golden. Add the garlic, cumin, curry leaves, ginger and mustard seeds and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the garlic softens. Add the potato and water. Cover and cook for 6 minutes or until the potato is almost tender (add an extra tablespoon of water if the mixture is dry).
2. Add the peas and corn to the potato mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until the potato is tender and the liquid has evaporated. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool completely.
3. To make the coriander chutney, place the coriander, shallot, chilli, garlic, lime juice and garam masala in the bowl of a food processor and process, adding a little water if necessary, until smooth and well combined. Transfer to a bowl.
4. Use a 10cm-diameter round pastry cutter to cut 5 discs from each pastry sheet. Place about 1 tablespoon of the potato mixture in the centre of 1 pastry disc. Brush the edges with a little water. Fold in half to enclose filling. Press the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with remaining pastry and potato mixture.
5. Place the remaining oil in a wok or large deep saucepan. Heat to 180°C over medium-high heat (when oil is ready a cube of bread will turn golden brown in 15 seconds). Add 4 samosas to the oil and cook for 1-2 minutes or until puffed and golden. Transfer to a tray lined with paper towel. Repeat, in 4 more batches, with remaining samosas. Arrange the samosas on a serving platter and serve with the coriander chutney.