Indian Favourites. Sanmugam

circle in half, then lift it up and roll it into a cone, pressing the sides together with your fingers to seal it.

      4 Fill each cone with 3 tablespoons of the Filling. Dab a little water on the open ends of the cone and press together to seal it. Set aside on a plate. Continue to make the samosas with the remaining ingredients. Lightly dust the samosas with flour to prevent them from sticking to the plate or to each other.

      5 Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan until very hot. Reduce the heat to medium and deep-fry the samosas for 3–5 minutes until golden brown on all sides. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with a dipping bowl of Sweet and Sour Tamarind Sauce on the side.

      Makes 16 samosas

      Preparation time: 30 mins + time to make dipping sauce

      Cooking time: 35 mins

Dal Fritters (Ulunthu Vadai)

      300 g (1½ cups) urad dal, washed and soaked for 5 hours, then drained

      ½ teaspoon asafoetida powder

      ½ teaspoon black peppercorns

      1½ teaspoons salt

      100 ml (²/₅ cup) water

      1 cm (½ in) fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

      2 green finger-length chillies, deseeded and diced

      2 stalks coriander leaves, chopped

      10 curry leaves, chopped

      Oil, for deep-frying

      Green finger-length chillies, to serve

      1 portion Mint or Coriander Chutney (page 7)

      1 Prepare the Mint or Coriander Chutney following the recipe on page 7.

      2 Grind the dal, asafoetida powder, black peppercorns, salt and water to a smooth batter in a blender. Pour into a large bowl, add all the other ingredients except the oil, green chillies and chutney, and mix until well blended.

      3 Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan over medium heat until hot. Moisten a metal spatula and place 1 heaped tablespoon of the batter on it. Using moist fingers, flatten the batter into a small disk and make a hole in the centre like a doughnut. Quickly invert the spatula into the oil and shake it gently to release the batter. Deep-fry the batter for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from the hot oil and drain on paper towels. Serve with green chillies and a dipping bowl of Mint or Coriander Chutney on the side.

      Makes 18 pieces

      Preparation time: 30 mins + time for making chutney

      Cooking time: 20 mins

      Vegetable Fritters (Kaikari Vadai)

      300 g (2 cups) flour

      80 g (²/₃ cup) rice flour

      1 tablespoon semolina

      1 teaspoon baking powder

      2 teaspoons curry powder

      1 egg, lightly beaten

      300 ml (1¼ cups) water

      125 g (4 oz) leeks, minced

      150 g (5 oz) cauliflower, coarsely grated

      4 spring onions, chopped

      2 green finger-length chillies, deseeded, sliced

      2 onions, sliced

      1 teaspoon sugar

      1 teaspoon minced fennel

      1 teaspoon salt

      Oil, for deep-frying

      1 portion Sweet Mango and Tomato Chutney (page 4)

      1 Prepare the Sweet Mango and Tomato Chutney following the recipe on page 4.

      2 Combine the flours, semolina, baking powder, curry powder, egg and water in a mixing bowl, and mix into a thick batter with a wooden spoon. Add all the other ingredients, except the oil and chutney, and mix until well blended.