Samosas, a group effort

We all took a turn forming the lamb-filled samosas using white flour Mexican tortillas—Ms. Ramineni’s brilliant short-cut that she learned from her mother. I had made the potato-filled samosas using the same technique the week prior and froze them. I was glad to have had the chance to practice forming samosas before giving a demo to the group. I developed a few tricks that I think make the process go more smoothly, especially if you live in a dry climate, like Vermont in the winter, and are new to forming samosas. 

SAMOSA TIPS: 

• Cut the tortilla in half and sprinkle one semi-circle with a little water before heating it in the microwave.
• Heat just one semi-circle at a time.
• When Ms. Ramineni says to press the seam firmly, do it. Press very firmly.
• To help keep the samosas from cracking or their seams from loosening, cover them with a damp kitchen towel until ready to use or freeze.
• Freeze them on a tray or other flat surface, not touching, before putting them in a freezer bag. (I do this as matter of course when freezing multiples of things.)

We enjoyed both versions of samosas equally, but found that the potato-filled samosas, which had been frozen, weren’t piping hot in the center. Verdict: Always read authors’ tips before beginning to prepare any recipe. In her Samosa-making tip, Ms. Ramineni recommends bringing frozen Samosas to room temperature before frying, presumably just for this reason. (When defrosting them, she says, be sure to spread them so that they’re not touching; otherwise, they will stick together.) 

While we were noshing at the kitchen island, I pulled the aromatic Ginger Chutney from Entice with SpiceI’d made a couple of weeks earlier out of the fridge for all to sample. I am enamored with it. It is a perfect blend of sweet, sour, and spicy. I confessed to the group that Mike and I used it as a hot dog relish—combined with a good Dijon, grilled dogs with all-natural casings and buttered and toasted New England hot dog buns, there’s nothing better. Everyone raved about the chutney and proceeded to eat it with the samosas along with the other two chutneys. 

At the table we enjoyed a slew of dishes: Homemade pappadam with Mint and Tamarind Chutneys, prepared by Jenn; Chicken Tikka Masala, prepared by me; Ground Lamb and Peas (Keema Matar) and Curried Chickpeas (Channa Masala), both prepared by MaryKaye; Simple Potato Curry (Tharee Aloo), prepared by Miriam; Indian Cheese and Pea Curry (Matar Paneer), prepared by Judy; Spiced Cauliflower and Potatoes (Aloo Gobi), prepared by Kristalyn; Plain Boiled Rice (Chawval), prepared by me; Aromatic Rice (sub-recipe from Chicken Biryani), prepared by MaryKaye; Rice with Cumin and Peas (Jeera Matar Chawval) and Naan, both prepared by Judy; Yogurt, prepared by Karen; and Sweet Cheese Dessert (Ras Malai) and Chai, both prepared by me. (The Ginger Chutney ended up on the table too.) There was so much food that everyone went home with leftovers. 

Homemade Pappadam with Mint and Tamarind Chutneys, prepared by Jenn. The mint chutney picked up a red color from the red onions she used.

Curried Chickpeas, prepared by Marykaye

Rice with Cumin and Peas, prepared by Judy

Ras Malai, prepared by me

While everyone loved all the dishes, the Chicken Tikka Masala (CTM) was a particularly big hit. I can see why it’s such a popular dish at Indian restaurants. Made with heavy cream, it is rich, elegant, and irresistible. I found myself taking one more bite, and then another, just to experience its creamy, velvety sauce and its perfect balance of Indian spices with judicious amount of chili pepper. 

In the introduction to her recipe for CTM, Ms. Ramineni writes that she tried to recreate this popular Indian-restaurant chicken dish, her favorite, at home. She has nailed it and, in fact, improved it. My boyfriend, Mike, has eaten lots of CTM in Indian restaurants—it’s one of his favorite things to eat in the world—and he said he thought it was better than the restaurant versions because it was homemade.  Congratulations Ms. Ramineni!

(Photo credits: all photos by Holly Jennings, except the top photo of the potluck spread, which was taken by Judy Stermer.)