IFTAR IDEAS – Arabic samosas, the healthy option!

by Karimah bint Dawoud, muslim chaplain and well being writer

karimahscuisina@live.co.uk

 

Recipes in forth coming book, “Heavenly Bites”

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heavenly-Bites-Karimah-Bint-Dawood/dp/1847740316

Dr Farouk Haffejee mentions in his book, Health Guidelines For Ramadhan, that baked samosas have 85 calories while the deep fried ones have 150 calories.Thats not so bad, you think but if you have 3 thats nearly 500 calories ,equivalent to a main meal.

The health  Arabic version of samosas are these wonderful finger foods called fatayer and here is my step by step recipe.

STEP 1

We use the bought bread mix in  bag that has the yeast in it, so to 500 grammes of the mix add 350 ml of hot water, mix and leave covered with plastic bag for 15 minutes or so while you are making the filling.

STEP2 

Ingredients for filling, pre washed chopped and frozen spinach; when you see spinach in the market for 4 bunches for £1 which is cheap , wash , chop and drain and freeze in sandwich bags, perfect when you need it.1/2 handful of pine nuts, do not much while you are cooking or you may get pine mouth (look it up),1/2 a block of feta cheese,onions and garlic, mixed spice.

STEP 3

Fried chopped onion and garlic

STEP 4 

Add mixed spice, about 1 teaspoon.

STEP5

 Add spinach

STEP 6 

Add cheese and let it melt and mix into spianch

STEP7

Toast nuts in separate pan, keep stirring over medium flame til they start going a bit golden brown

STEP 8 

Add nuts to spinach and mix in, voila! you have 1 filling

STEP9

Left over bengala magreb chicken

STEP 10

Take flesh off bones, including skin and chop finely, voila! filling number 2

STEP 11

Add 3 desserts spoons of olive oil to flour  mix,  to give it flexibily, mix in well and knead for 5 minutes or more if you can manage it.

STEP 12

500 grammes of flour, cut lump into 4 chunks and wrapp in cling film and leave in warm place, after 10 mnites  each pieces should be divided inot 8, each little piece the suize of a golf ball is roll out on floury surface

STEP 13

Add filling to centre and make it into traingle shape

STEP 14

Join 2 edges of circle together and pinch together to seal

STEP 15

Fold up remaining edge to form triangular package

STEP 16

Place on oiled baking tray and place in oven for 10 minutes on gas mark 5 or electric 190 C375 F

STEP 17

Cool outside oven and serve warm, with mango chutney or satay sauce they are super delicious mashallah!