Easy Samosa Recipe For Picnic Menu (Baked Kartoffel Taschen)

Samosas are the most delicious Indian snacks that are prepared almost everywhere in the world. They can be deep fried/ baked in oven/ steamed although deep frying is the tastiest and most preferred form of the snack.

Samosas can be prepared the previous day and refrigerated. They remain fresh if wrapped in aluminium foil. Today I shall share my simple preparation of the Samosa recipe. Have a look.

Easy Samosa Recipe For Picnic Menu (Germans popularly call it Baked Kartoffel Taschen)

Ingredients:
About 2 cups of Maida (All purpose flour)
1 cup of luke warm water
Salt according to taste
1 tsp fine semolina (for crispness)
Pinch of baking soda
1 big spoon of oil (sunflower oil)

For Filling:
About 2-3 big potatoes (baked, peeled and cubed)
1 cup of boiled green peas
1/2 tsp jeera powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp mango powder (amchur)
1/2 tsp garam masala (available in Indian stores)
Chopped coriander
Salt as per taste

Oil for deep frying the Samosas

Making of the Samosas:
1. In a bowl, add maida, semolina, baking soda, salt and mix well.
2. Add the spoon of oil and knead well.
3. Prepare a soft dough by adding sufficient warm water. Leave aside for 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, combine all the filling ingredients and keep it ready to fill in the triangular bags.
5. Take a small ball of the dough and roll it into a flat big circle.
6. Divide it into two equal halves.
7. Carefully make a cone of one half by attaching ends and fill the potato mixture. Seal the ends by smearing little water.
8. Arrange all the samosas that are to be fried and heat the pan containing oil.
9. Deep fry samosa on low - medium heat. Tasty, crispy, golden fried samosas are ready.
Allow the samosas to cool and preserve them in Aluminium foil bags or air tight containers for next day.

You can refrigerate and re-heat samosas in microwave the day of travel (preferably the next morning). These snacks are suitable for your picnic menu as they are tasty, healthy and filling.

Enjoy picnic snacks with a hot cup of tea. 

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Travel Snacks: Nuchinaunde/ Steamed Dal Dumplings

Karnataka is famous for a variety of steamed snacks. Apart from the well known Idlis to Kadubus to Nuchinaunde, all are thoroughly enjoyed by the traditional and authentic kannadigas.

For travel, these lentil dumplings are easy to make and carry. They can be served as snacks or even for breakfast. Take a look to know the simplest procedure of preparing them.

Nuchinaunde/ Steamed Dal Dumplings:

Ingredients:

1. About 2 big cups of Toor Dal/ Masoor Dal (soaked in water for about 6 hours)
2. 4-5 Green Chillies (or according to taste)
3. Curry Leaves (7-8)
4. Finely Chopped Coriander
5. 1/2 tsp Ginger paste
6. 1/2 cup Fresh Coconut (grated)
7. Salt to taste
8. Pinch of Asafoetida/ hing powder
9. 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

Preparation:

1. To a mixi jar, add the soaked dal, salt, coconut, 2 chillies, hing, ginger, cumin seeds and coarsely grind without water.
2. Transfer the ground mixture and add chopped coriander, remaining chillies and mix well.
3. Grease the idli plate with a few drops of oil.
4. Make oval shaped dumplings of the mixture and steam it for about 15- 20 minutes. Tasty travel snacks are ready to serve.

For the trip, place them in a hot case and serve with ghee (clarified butter). They taste best with chutney powder or fresh mint chutney.

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Travel Special: Goli Bajji/ Mangalore Bajji Recipe

Among all the Bajjis, I like the world famous Mangalore Bajji recipe as it tastes best with coconut chutney. For travel, Mangalore Bajjis can be great snacks to pack.

They can be easily prepared as all you need is sour curd/ yogurt and all purpose flour (maida). The bajjis are soft and savoury.

The best part of preparing Mangalore Goli bajji is that even if the yogurt isn't sour you can still prepare the soft and fluffy bajjis and I'll tell you how.

The crispy, soft maida balls taste best when not hot so preparing them and packing in a silver foil will make a  truly relishable snack. Take a look for more.

Goli Bajji For Travel:

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup yogurt/ sour curd 
2. 2 big cups of all purpose flour (maida)
3. Powdered dry curry leaves
4. 1 tsp cumin seeds
5. 1 tsp fresh ginger paste
6. Pinch of sugar
7. Salt to taste
8. Water if required
9. Oil for frying (I prefer refined Olive oil)

Making:
1. In a basin, add all the above ingredients and beat it well for about 10 minutes. Beating helps in making bajji soft and fluffy even though the curd is not sour.

2. The consistency of the batter needs to be thick (as though its in between dough and batter).

3. Make small golis or balls out of the thick batter and deep fry in oil. The flame needs to be in simmer as the bajji should bake well.

4. Strain the crispy travel snack on paper towel and pack it to preserve fresh in Aluminium foil.

Serve it with tangy, spicy Coconut chutney. For easy chutney recipe. click here.

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