East Indian-Style Samosas
This chile pepper gets its name from its origin. In Spanish, serrano is an adjective meaning “from the mountains” which is where it originated-in the mountains of Hildalgo, Mexico. The serrano is normally about twice as hot as Jalapeno (about 10,000 to 15,000 Scoville units). It is the second most popular chile pepper in Mexico. This chile is used mostly for salsas but can also be used in soups, sauces, chili or stews. Try these as a hotter substitute for Jalapeno.
Ingredients:
Empanada dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup vegetable shortening, lard or a combination of the two
4-5 Tbsp. cold water
1 large egg beaten lightly with 1/4 tsp. water (for glaze)
Filling:
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 serrano chiles, stems removed, chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped ginger
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/3 to 1/2 cup of plain yogurt
2 small potatoes, boiled and cut into 1/2″ dice
1/2 cup frozen peas, defrosted or if using fresh, cooked
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne
1/4 tsp. cumin seeds
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint or cilantro
1 Tbsp. lemon juice, fresh preferred
salt to taste
Instructions:
To make the empanadas:
Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and cut the shortening into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or two forks. The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal.
Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, and lightly toss with a fork to incorporate it. Add only enough water for the dough to hold together and be gathered into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for an hour. Bring the dough back to room temperature before rolling.
To make the crust, gently roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/4″ and use a cutter to cut circles to the desired diameter.
For the filling:
In a heavy skillet or wok, heat the oil and saute the onion, garlic, serrano and ginger until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the yogurt. Add the potatoes and peas, curry powder, fennel seeds, cayenne, and cumin seeds and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mint and lemon juice, stir well and salt to taste.
Cool slightly before filling the samosas.
Yield: 2 to 2-1/2 cups.
Place a couple of spoonfuls of the filling off-center on each circle. Brush the edges with water, fold in half and seal securely using either your finger or a fork.
Brush the samosas with the egg glaze and place them on a lightly oiled baking pan, and bake them for 10-20 minutes, or until golden.
Remove them from the pan and cool them on a rack before serving.
Yields 2 dozen appetizers.
Recipe by Nancy Gerlach.