Baked not fried: 3 healthier monsoon recipes of your comfort food

3 healthy and tasty monsoon recipes:

Baked samosa

Samosa and jalebi are the guilt-laden indulgences of the rainy season. While they may be a quintessential combination for chai time, they can easily put your weight-loss plans on the back-burner with their calorie count. In fact, deep fried food can lead to acid reflux! So, why not make a baked samosa variety which counts high on taste and health?

For the samosa stuffing:
4-5 boiled potatoes
2-3 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon cumin or jeera
1/2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
3/4 teaspoon chaat masala
Salt as per taste

How to make baked samosa
1. In a bowl, take whole wheat flour, carom seeds, salt to taste, oil or ghee.
2. Add water to maintain enough consistency for a tight dough. Knead it well. Leave it aside by covering the dough with a wet cloth.
3. For the filling, take oil in a pan on medium flame. Add cumin, ginger-garlic paste, dhaniya powder, garam masala and red chilli powder. Saute it on low fire.
4. Add boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes.
5. Give it a nice mix after adding salt and chaat masala.
6. Make sure you mash the mix well.
7. Now take small rounds of dough and flatten them one by one. Cut it into half and use one half each for a pocket for the filling. Seal the sides using a pinch of water.
8. Add the filling in the samosas one by one.
9. Now put these samosas on a baking tray and brush them with oil.
10. Preheat the oven on 180 degree celsius for 10 minutes. Add the samosas and bake for 20 minutes or till brown. Try to flip the samosas in between to avoid uneven cooking.

Baked Dal Kachori

Aloo poori is one thing we remember when it rains! But what about the crispy and khasta dal kachori? As most people would say, “Muh mein paani aa gaya!”. If compromising on your plan to avoid fried foods doesn’t feel tempting, try baking this kachori recipe for your taste buds!

For filling:
1/2 cup moong dal soaked
2 tablespoon oil
1/2 cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon red chilli
1/2 teaspoon chat masala
1 teaspoon amchur
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
A pinch of turmeric or haldi
Fresh coriander (for taste)
A pinch of powdered saunf
Salt to taste

For covering:
2 cups refined flour or maida
1 teaspoon ajwain or carom seeds
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Ghee (only enough to brush the kachoris)

Method:
1. In a non-stick pan, heat oil and add coriander seeds, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, saunf powder, garam masala and salt. Mix them well. Saute on low flame. You may add a little water to ensure the masala doesn’t burn.
2. Strain the soaked moong dal and add it the mixture along with 1/2 cup water, amchur and chat masala.
3. When the moong dal gets cooked, and mixture gets dry, remove it from the pan. Leave it aside and allow it to cool.
4. Preheat oven to 180° C
5. Take a bowl and add refined flow, along with salt, ghee, ajwain and baking powder. Add water enough to knead it into a good dough. Let this dough rest for at least 15 minutes. A wet cloth can keep this dough moist.
6. Now divide the dough into equal-shaped balls, and apply a little oil.
7. Roll them out and ensure they are thicker in the middle than on the sides.
8. Add the spicy dal mix in it, and then seal the ball.
9. Don’t forget to press these a little to ensure the filling is not concentrated in one spot.
10. Preheat the oven at 180 degree celsius
10. Take a greased baking tray. Place the kachoris at a slight distance from each other.
11. Brush them with ghee and bake for about 15 minutes or till you see them turn crisp and golden!
12. Serve them hot

Baked wedges

Nothing beats French Fries in the rain, but if you want a healthier option, crispy garlic baked potato wedges beat them hands down! This is one of my favourite monsoon recipes. You could also try it a baked sweet potato recipe!

2-3 large potatoes
1 tablespoon rice flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 pods of garlic minced
Salt to taste
Olive oil

1. Rinse the potatoes well. You may choose to keep the peel, or peel the potatoes as per choice! We prefer the peel on.
2. Cut the potatoes into wedges.
3. Mix all dried ingredients. Add a teaspoon or 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
4. Now add rice floor to the mix.
4. It’s time to put the wedges and ensure that they get well-coated in the seasoning.
5. Preheat the even at 200 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
6. Take a baking tray lined with parchment paper, put the potatoes side by side, and bake for 30 minutes.
7. Make sure both heating bars of the oven are on for uniform cooking. And yes, don’t forget to toss the wedges once at half time.
8. Serve hot!