Around the world in 80ish (kind of) bakes... India!

So we've arrived in India. Due to being away last week, this week I'm starting in India and ending in Argentina... exciting times!

Today was a little bit of a cheat... I had to do something savoury as we were starving, and having eaten the WORLD in Cornwall last week (pasties, clotted cream, scones, ice cream, scones, more ice cream etc on repeat until near nausea) I wanted something kind of healthy.

So Indian cuisine is one of my faves - Daddy Webb makes some pretty amazing curries, and I'm often o be found making my own naan and curry spice mixes. They're not as good as they could be, but I LOVE making and eating Indian food! So today, we have... the bakes Samosa.

Sorry India, these are probably as authentic as Sharon Osbourne's face. But they are rather delicious, rather easy, and rather healthy. Winners all round?!

Not a beauty contest winner - I made them a bit wonky due to laziness!

Ingredients - makes 12 samosas

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 big or 2 small cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped (mine was homegrown and pretty h-h-hot, so I deseeded it but feel free to leave yours in)
• 2cm piece of ginger, grated
• 1/2 tsp nigella seeds
• 1/2 tsp tumeric
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 3 medium potatoes, microwaved until soft (10 mins or so) or cooked and mashed (I like the skins on)
• Couple of tablespoons of frozen peas
• 1 cup wholemeal bread flour
• large pinch salt
• water

Method

1. Dough - mix the flour and salt with enough water to make a firm dough and knead for 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
   

2. Filling - gently saute the onion in a little butter or oil until softening, then add the chilli, garlic, ginger and nigella seeds. Yummy...

3. Cook for another minute or two, then add the rest of the spices and a pinch of salt. Mash in the potatoes, then add the peas...

4. Filling done! Time to assemble...

First, roll out the dough and cut into strips about 2-3 inches wide. Put a big teaspoon of filling into the dough, and stretch the rolled out dough around the filling and pinch it well to seal.

 You should have about 12ish samosas. At this point, you could pop them in the fridge or freezer (well wrapped) until you need to use them. When you want them, just bake them at 200C for 20 minutes (or 25 from frozen I would think).

Done!! Argentina next...


JB x

No added sugar or fat flapjacks

OK, let's lay down some groundrules. I love carbs, and fat, and sugar. However Mr B is on a mission to reduce his body fat to 'professional athlete' levels, and unfortunately my regular flapjacks contain more than a tad of each.

My normal flapjack recipe will follow (and I admit it tastes waaaaaaaaaay better) but... For those with dietary issues or trying to be virtuous, what follows is actually pretty good. Anyone who eats breakkie on the run would certainly be better off with one of these and a cup of tea than those breakfast biscuits you get filled with weird stuff...

Ingredients (makes 9 largish flapjacks)

• 400ml apple juice
• 3 apples (dessert) or pears or a mixture
• large pinch salt
• 130g raising or other dried fruit
• 30g seeds of your choice (pumpkin, sunflower etc)
• 250g oats
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• good grate of root ginger if you have it - dried if not.

Method

1. Core and chop the fruit roughly (leaving the skin on for added good stuff). Poach it in the juice gently for 30 mins or so until it's nice and squish-able, although it will hold its shape.
2. Blitz the apples until you have a lumpy purée (only a few pulses).
3. Add the flavourings (cinnamon, salt, ginger) and dried fruit and seeds to the apple schmush and stir it in.
4. Finally, add the oats until you have a cement like mess. It's meant to look like this, honest.
5. Squash into a tin lined with baking paper (mine is 23 x 30cm) and bake at 180C for 30-40 mins.

So here we have them...

Not too bad for health food!