Monday, May 7, 2007

Baked Potato Potli and Gunjiyas




I made two different dishes out of the same dough. One is a savory dish called the potli (small pouch) which is filled with spiced peas and potatoes. Another is a sweet dish called Gunjiyas filled with sweetened coconut flakes and more. Gunjiyas in Hindi, Kajjikayalu in Telugu, and Somasi in Tamil.

I am contributing these two recipes for two different events. Since my family and friends had helped me out in making these lovely creations, this one goes to the Spring fling event hosted by the adorable Trupti of the beautiful blog “The Spice who loved me”.
It is because of her help that I am recognized as one among all the food bloggers now.
Thank you Trupti for all that support and helping hand.
My Son is holding a Gunjiya

The next event is for the letter “P”. Ok, you all might have guessed it out. Yes “P” for Potli, Potato and Peas. This one is for the lovely Nupur of onehotstove .

Before going to the recipe I have to say that this is a variation form the usual recipe.
  1. I used ready made pillsbury pie dough to make job easy for myself.
  2. I baked it instead of deep frying, which I usually prefer.

Ingredients for gunjiyas

Ready made Pie dough

For filling
½ cup Sweetened coconut
3tbsp sugar
½ tsp powdered cardamom
3tbsp washed poppy seeds (Khus-khus)
Chopped almonds


Preparation

Mix all the ingredients used for filling together in a cup.
Cut the pie dough in to small circles. You can use a sharp edged glass or cup for cutting the circles. Fill the circles with a spoon full of the filling. Close the circles as given in the picture and press the edges with fork. Brush up some melted butter on top and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Crispy Gunjiyas, kajjikayalu or somasi is ready.



You can either use ready made pie dough; else you can make the dough from scratch for baking.

My Friends "P" and "N" are helping me out in cutting , filling and sealing.





Recipe for egg less pie dough:

8 ounces all-purpose flour, about 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon sugar (if making sweet pie dough)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons ice water

Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Using your fingers, work in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of ice water and work with your fingers until the water is incorporated and the dough comes together. Add more water as needed to make a smooth dough, being careful not to over mix. Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.
Source: Emeril Lagasse of Food network






If you don’t find pie dough you can make with normal dough usually used for making samosas, which is 1 cup all purpose flour, 3-4 tbsp butter or ghee and salt. The filling is the same. This is usually deep fried in oil. This one is much easier and you can also try baking if you don’t want it deep fried.

Ingredients for Potli Filling


1 cup Boiled mashed potatoes
½ cup Peas
½ cup onions
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp pomegranate powder (anardana powder)
Salt
2 -3 tbsp oil
½ tsp aniseed (saunf)

Preparation
In a pan add oil and tamper with aniseed. In to it add onions and sauté until translucent. Add potatoes, peas and all the other spices and fold them together. Let it get cooked for about 10-12 minutes. Remove it from the stove and let it cool.
Make squares out of the pie dough and make small potlis as shown in the picture by adding a spoon of the masala filling to it. Brush up with some butter and Bake it at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Remember it should not get too brown. Small beautiful potlis are ready. These are perfect for starters or snack too.

My hubby is helping me fill the potlis


Tried to make a small hand bag. I put a pea as button.

Safety Moments- Kids in the Kitchen

This time it’s hosted by Meeta from the Daily Tiffin . I wanted to share some safety tips with all my friends which I always adopt in the kitchen.

Starting with stove, never leave it unattended with any boiling liquid, hot pans, griddles, hot oil or any thing that is hot and cooking. Once you are done cooking please transfer them to a safe place so that kids cannot reach them. While working with hot oil and deep frying, never let your kids trouble you. Make sure they are not in the kitchen.

Never leave any sharp objects like knives or forks in the dishwasher. As soon as you are done with the dishes, don’t forget to put them back in the safe place. Even remove the glass dishes. Don’t leave the knives or scissors on the tip of the counter tops. This could be very dangerous.
Always keep your kitchen floors clean as kids always keep crawling near their moms. They might pick up some food fallen on the floor and pop it into their mouth.

Never keep the trash cans, kitchen cleaners, detergents and dishwashing tablets reachable to the kids. Especially infants.

Always child lock your microwave. Also never heat plastic baby bottles in the microwave. It is carcinogenic.

Never keep any liquids in the front side of the fridge.

While using conventional oven make sure you kids are not running around.

Keep spices, chilli powders and pantry products out of reach of children.

To make thing easy for kids always keep snacks, cookies and kids juices in the lower draws and cabinets which they can reach. So even while they open it for exploring they will get distracted by finding their food.

Kids always want to play with utensils though they have all the toys of the world.So make sure you give them the dishes that don’t have sharp edges.


Finally I would like to share with you all that, I have decided the JFI for September month. I know it’s too early but could not stop thinking as it is my first JFI. The Ingredient is “Rice and its derivatives”. Details will follow later. Hope you guys liked it.

49 comments:

Anh said...

Sharmi, what a post! Full of flavours, pics and info! Lovely. I like the handbag pastry. Cute!

Menu Today said...

Hi Sharmi,
Healthy version. Thanks for the visual treat!!!!

Roopa said...

wonderfull post Sharmi! i loved those cuttie friends making the karjikai for you!

archana said...

Good post Sharmi. All the three entries were nice . I liked the idea of baking the gujjias and potli, making them healthy . Pictures are lovely.

Sreelu said...

Sharmi,

Mouth watering kajjikayalu and potli too. I bet they taste great, Its been ages since I had kajjilkayalu.

I am craving for them now

WokandSpoon said...

The Gunjiyas look like the curry puffs that we have in Malaysia! And did you make a pair of shoes to go with the handbag? ;-)

sra said...

Sharmi, the handbag cracked me up, it's cute!

Nupur said...

Absolutely adorable! Thanks for an awesome entry!

FH said...

Potli and a purse!!!I love them.Great post to kill three birds in one!!:D
Baking sounds wonderful.Thanks for all the hark work you have done Sharmi:))

Richa said...

hey sharmi, gujiya & potli looks adorable. puff pastry has become a must-have in our pantry, right LOL!! btw did you use dry coconut or is it fresh coconut in gujiya?
thanks dear

DEEPA said...

sharmi ..too good ...If i am not wrong a similar dish is prepared by north indians during holi festival...i forgot the name , but it is almost similar to this one ...mouthwatering and too good ..excellent presentationa and also thks for sharing the safety tips ...

Unknown said...

wow!! the hey this look so tempting... hey the Potli is too good.... u have become a cooking manic now a days.....the purse is tooo good men...

Bong Mom said...

Wow Sharmi...fully packed post...2 delightful recipes...3 events and also JFI .. That hand bag is so so cute

Mishmash ! said...

hey..so many hands out there....am sure u had lots of that day cooking with all of them...

Then handbag....sooooo cuuute !!!! An edible handbag :D

Shn

Bong Mom said...

Forgot to ask you, you said you were not feeling good, what happened , how are you ?

Unknown said...

Wow Sharmi,
so this is what you were upto.. writing such a lovely post..really liked your family helping you out in the kitchen...

what a Wonderful post ..Loved it

Sharmi said...

thanks you so much Dear all. It is lovely to receive comments from you.

Wokandspoon, I was planning to make the shoes too but no dough left:(

Richa, I used Sweetened coconut.

thank you all once again

Mythreyee said...

This sure will be tasty. I will try this for the weekend party that we are hosting. Thanks for sharing.

swapna susarla said...

WOW sharmi
lovely presentation.I too make the kajjikayalu often but never baked in oven.this time i will try.thanks for sharing.

sunita said...

That was a lovely post...you've managed to get quite a few people involved in it as well...well done...

TNL said...

Sharmi,

your words are too kind...but you are doing it all on your own...you bring to us your unique style of cooking which is a pleasure to read. thank you for your entry. Good luck.

-trupti

S said...

hi the little bags r so so cute..i wanna take it off....u r innovative ....

Chris said...

Sharmi - this is such a wonderful post. These recipes look delicious and you make them seem so feasible! The purse....how cute would these be at a tea party or something to that effect?

Revathi said...

The purse is verry cute. Btw whiach language do they call it gunjiya ?

musical said...

Lovely! Those lil' hands helping you out.....super sweet. and i love that purse, Sharmi. Potli puffs are yummy. Great, great pictures and post.

Ramya's Mane Adige said...

Hey, nice post!! Even we kannadigas make a similar dish and its called Karjikai in Karnataka....

Unknown said...

Lovely pictures Sharmi... I loved the small purse with a pea button..Iam sure the kids would have loved it too.Thanks for sharing and its nice of ur friends to help u ..

Suganya said...

WOW!....Its a wondereful post.... Its is a colourful one... It looks as a plate of flavors.

Saju said...

Lovely pictures Sharmi, the food bloggers are the best
(I will be trying the sweet version!)

USHA said...

Hi Sharmi,.

Wonderful entry....for theevent..Oh those cutelittle hands helping you in kitchen.

In bangalore i had that,, they sold there in the name of "MONEY BAG".You baked it,,seems to be a good idea....Thanks for sharing..

Raji said...

wow
what a wonderful post this is
i luv kajjikayalu
we fill them with senagapappu kobbari podem
luv ur shots :)

Sia said...

what a fabulous post sharmi:) look at those cute little hands helping mommy in kitchen...just adorable:)
how r u feeling now? somewhere i read u r not keeping well. get well soon sweetie:)

Cynthia said...

Sharmi, you are so very very creative and I want to thank Trupti for making you known to us.

I love what you did with the purse and the pea as a button - love it. Both potli and gunjiyas look tasty, one to be enjoyed with a nice cold drink and the other, with a lovely cup of tea.

You are doing great work on your blog.

Shivapriya said...

My sis love kajjikayyalu and amma is very good at making them. I don't like sweets and here I have an option so I will go for POtli:D. Yummy !! Sharmi.

Reena said...

sharmi, i always come here and then say so much! so much!.....in a good way :). love those gujiyas and little hands helping you. cute little bag with a pea button. love it!

http://spicesofkerala.wordpress.com/

Chef Jeena said...

Hi Sharmi great recipes the pics look really tasty- it always makes me smile to see family helping out in the kitchen too :)

Sharmi said...

thank you so much to all my dear lovely people.

Revathi, Gunjiya is in Hindi as far as I know.

Sia, I am feeling better now. thanks dear.

Sia said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sia said...

good to know u r feeling better now:) and hey...very good choice for JFI:) u will be busy with the entries for sure;)

Aruna said...

Sharmi, What a nice combo of snacks u have here!! looks delicious!!!

Kajal said...

Hi Sharmi,
WOW.........great..........What I write I am confuse.........all are very nice recipe with lots of photo. I have no words for your hard work.:)
I love your puri,peas,potali.....also your hand bag.....and your gunjiyas is....gr8.......thanks for your safety tips..........Keep it up.:))
Take Care.:)
Kajaldreams.blogspot.com

Viji said...

Sharmi both entries are good. They are cute. Nice to see your kids helping you in the kitchen. They must have enjoyed. Viji

Sig said...

Sharmi, wow amazing, love both those entries, the step-by-step instructions are so nice... Love that purse, sooo cute... :D
BTW, nice pick for JFI, so many possiblities

Vini K said...

Hey Sharmi,Thanks for dropping by my blog!:)wow,you have a really nice blog here.The music is superb.I have to come back once again and read the whole article,but got to say that the gunjiyas and potlis looks great.Baking them is a great idea.Recently one of my friends tried the same and I have been dying to make some.Now I will!and that handbag is soo cute:)

Radha said...

In maharashtrians 'gunjiyas' are called 'karanjees'...they're yummy ! :)

Kribha said...

Wonderful post Sharmi. Thanks for posting all the step-by-step pictures. It gives great confidence for me to try new recipes. You are really so lucky to have so many people pitching in to help you. Great work.

Kay said...

that little handbag is my fav!!!! :)

Lata said...

Hi Sharmi,

I was blog-hopping and came across your potlis from someone else's blog. Your handbag potli is very cute. I plan to try the potli recipe one of these days, and will let you know how it went. Thank you

xxHiralxx said...

This website is excellent and you guys should make lots more. i love the pictures and well done to the people who did the pictures i am proud of you. lol. HAHAHAHAHAHA
Right, sorry about that. any way hope you like the cool comment