We were delighted to receive this recipe from award-winning cookery writer, TV presenter and radio host Mridula Baljekar.
Mridula BaljekarMridula Baljekar is the best-selling author of 27 Indian cookery books, including her book, Great Indian Feasts, which was awarded both ‘The Best Asian Cookbook in the World by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2006 and ‘Cookery Book of the Year’ in the same year.
The recipe sent in by Mridula is by Chef Ashwani Kumar.
Ashwani Kumar is head chef at the award-winning Indian restaurant in Windsor, Mango Lounge. Mango Lounge was awarded ‘Best in the South’ by Asian Curry Awards in 2012 and was voted ‘Best in Berkshire’ in 2009 by the Express Group of newspapers.
Ashwani has won many prestigious awards himself including the International Indian Chef of the Year in 2013. He was also one of the semi-finalists at the Ethnic Chef of the Year competition organised by the Craft Guild of Chefs.
Fig and vegetable Parcels
Makes 48
Light and crisp filo samosas lead to beautifully spiced mixture of fig and vegetables which are cleverly spiced to complement the sweetness of the figs. They make an ideal canapé or a superb tea time treat.
- 120g mixed vegetables such as carrots, beans, cauliflower and potato
- 50g dried figs dry
- 40 ml sunflower oil
- 3g cumin seeds, roasted
- 3g aniseeds
- 50g chopped onion
- 10g root ginger, chopped
- 10g green chilli, chopped
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- Salt to taste
- The juice of 1 lemon juice
- Oil for frying deep frying
- 8 filo sheets
- 50g plain flour
- 80ml cold water
Method
- Clean the vegetables and chop them finely. Chop the figs and keep aside.
- Heat the oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and aniseeds, let them crackle.
- Add the onions, ginger, chilli and all the vegetables. Cook for 5 minutes and add turmeric powder and salt. Continue to cook for another five minutes and the add figs, and garam masala, salt and finish with lemon juice. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Make a paste with the plain flour and water and reserve.
- Fold the filo sheets in half and cut each sheet into 6 pieces.
- Fill each cut piece of filo with the vegetable and fig mixture and fold into a triangle or any other shape. Seal the edges with the prepared floour paste and fry until golden brown.
- Serve with mint chutney.
For more information about Mridula Baljekar click here
For more information about the Mango Lounge, Windsor click here