Balconies, Monday Supper,

They;re back!! The workmen have started again to do the balconies. Oh joy!! Much to my surprise, when we went to leave to go bowling, they had already put an access tunnel leading to the front door plus there were all kinds of vehicles so Matt couldn't get there to pick me up. Luckily I saw he was out front and managed to get to him. Grrr. From now on, I will either have to go to a side door or down into the garage. Normally I can sit and wait in the lobby and don't have to do a lot of walking.

This evening (Monday) I cooked the Hairy Bikers' Chicken Pilaf made with cauliflower rice. I have

been seeing lots of recipes using cauliflower rice so thought I would try this one. It was good and plenty for Matt and I to have a second meal tomorrow. I will post the recipe tomorrow as well. I thought I had already done so but on checking, I was wrong. It was a lot easier than I thought. It does call for pomegranate seeds, but I didn't use them, Never really figured out how to eat pomegranate. Do you suck the seeds or crunch them? Being an English recipe, it's full of millileters and grammes so maybe I will convert them before I post the recipe.

When I saw this picture, I just wanted to pick some up and munch them. They looked so good.

Shingaras With Cauliflower And Potato Filling

Shingaras are the Bangladeshi style of samosas—filled and fried savory pastries usually served as an appetizer or snack. Assuming you’re not making your own dough, empanada wrappers are the closest

approximation of homemade in both flavor and texture. These are traditionally formed into an elegant triangle shape, and we have step-by-step photos of that process here

Cauliflower And Potato Filling
¾ tsp ground cayenne pepper
¾ tsp ground cumin
2 Tbs olive oil
½ cup roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 Tbs finely grated fresh ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds (optional)
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 medium russet potato, peeled, cut into ?-inch pieces
½ small head of cauliflower, cut into ?-inch florets
1 serrano chile, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped
½ tsp sugar
Kosher salt
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
½ cup golden raisins

Chutney And Assembly
1 serrano chile, stem removed, chopped
2 cups cilantro leaves with tender stems
1 Tbs unsweetened coconut flakes
¼ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt
2 Tbs fresh lime juice
Kosher salt
25 3–5-inch round empanada, wonton, or egg roll wrappers
Vegetable oil (for frying; about 8 cups)

Special Equipment: A deep-fry thermometer

Cauliflower and Potato Filling

1. Toast cayenne and ground cumin in a small skillet over medium heat until spices are very dark and smoky and mixture looks like ground coffee, about 3 minutes; let cool (turn on your kitchen fan or open a window first; this is a smoky situation).

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high and cook peanuts, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer peanuts to a small bowl. Add ginger, cumin seeds, if using, and turmeric to skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add potato, cauliflower, chile, and sugar, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until potato and cauliflower are softened but not completely cooked through, 8–10 minutes. Stir in 1 cup water; cover and cook until water is slightly reduced, 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until water is evaporated, mixture begins to brown, and vegetables are very soft, 8–10 minutes. Stir in peas, raisins, peanuts, and toasted spices. Generously season with salt (the filling will taste less seasoned once it’s been deep-fried). Let cool.

Chutney and Assembly

1. Pulse chile, cilantro, and coconut in a food processor until very finely chopped. Add yogurt and lime juice and pulse until smooth; season with salt. Transfer chutney to a small bowl; cover and chill 30 minutes to let flavors meld.

2 Working one at a time, place about 1 Tbsp. filling (adjust amount of filling depending on the size of wrapper; use 1 heaping Tbsp. for a 4" wrapper) in the center of wrapper. Dip your fingers in water and wet edges of wrapper. Fold one side of wrapper over filling and pinch edges to seal (this will yield a half-moon shape).

3. Fit a large pot with thermometer and pour in oil to come 3" up the sides. Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 375°. Working in batches, fry shingara, turning occasionally, until golden brown on both sides, 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet. Let cool slightly before serving with chutney alongside.

Yield: MAKES ABOUT 25

Author: Kumi Banerjee

Have a great day