With the drop in the temperature, it is time to head to the kitchen to make some warm winter meals. Here are winter starters recipes from Simran Dhanju to get you right into the season.
Za’atar And Spinach Puffs
Ingredients:
- 12 frozen spinach briquettes
- 3tbsp za’atar mix
- 200gms feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1tbsp milk
- 15 frozen puff pastry squares
Method:
- Defrost and thaw spinach briquettes, put in a strainer and squeeze out all excess water pressing down with the back of a spoon. Remove in a bowl.
- Add za’atar mix, feta cheese and half of the egg to the spinach; mix well. Add milk to the rest of the half egg to brush later.
- Thaw pastry squares, but make sure they are still cold and not soggy and loose.
- Divide spinach mixture into 15 equal portions, place one on each pastry square; brush pastry squares with egg-milk mixture about 1cm on each side; bring all 4 corners of pastry to the centre and join all 4 open sides by pinching them gently with fingers to secure the filling.
- Place the puffs on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, brush the top with the remaining egg-milk mixture; bake in preheated oven at 210 degree Celsius for 18 to 20 minutes.
Dahi Kebab
Ingredients:
- 350gms hung yoghurt (made from 1kg yoghurt)
- 6-8 slices white bread, fresh
- 175gms fresh paneer (fresh cheese), finely grated
- 2tbsp coriander, finely chopped
- 5” piece ginger, finely chopped
- 3-4 green chillies, finely chopped
- 1tsp jeera (cumin) powder
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying
Method:
- To make hung yoghurt, in a bowl, place a sieve and spread a muslin cloth on top. Drop 1kg yoghurt into the bowl and tie it loosely; keep it in the refrigerator overnight.
- Squeeze out any more excess whey and take out ready hung yoghurt in a separate bowl.
- Remove crust from bread slices and save it for later; now blitz the slices in a food processor and make fine bread crumbs.
- In the bowl of hung yoghurt, add 1 cup (50g) bread crumbs, grated paneer, ginger, green chillies, coriander, cumin powder and salt, mix them well together. With the help of two spoons make 16 dollops.
- Blitz the reserved bread crust, mix it with remaining breadcrumbs; place one dollop in crumbs, roll it gently with your fingers and shape it into flat round mini patties. Repeat with the rest of the dollops. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a deep pan, fry 2 to 3 kebabs at a time on high heat until golden brown; remove on absorbent paper and serve with tamarind chutney.
Enjoy these winter starters right fromSimran’s Kitchen!
Simran is a celebrated chef and a winner of multi cooking competitions; she creates visual delights artfully by merging traditional flavours.