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Mauka Digest | #1 | May 5th, 2024

Mauka Digest | #1 | May 5th, 2024

Weekly newsletter from Mauka Indian Cuisine with exclusive promotions, event information, and more.

Riaz Gillani
May 06, 2024

Monday May 5th, 2024 | Digest #1

Good Morning! You’ve likely indulged in Vegetable Samosas before, perhaps even ours. They’re crispy and flaky parcels of pastry dough filled with a savory mixture of potatoes, peas, and spices. Today’s newsletter will show you what goes into this snacktime favorite.

Pro Tip: Keep Scrolling for a 20% off Coupon Code & a Sneak Peak at our Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet

Upcoming Events & Promotions

If you’re among the select few recipients of this inaugural newsletter, you’re in luck!

Use code: DIGEST with your name for 20% off any dine-in or takeout orders (must call in to use the code).

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Mother’s Day isn’t just another holiday. It's a special day when we can pause our busy lives and express our gratitude to those who have been our constant support. It's a day to remind our caretakers how much they mean to us, and we're here to help you make it memorable.

To celebrate Mother's Day, we're hosting a Grand Brunch Buffet ($29.99 pp).

Picture this: Freshly baked pastries, various refreshing juices, live chat stations where you can interact with our chefs, and a wide array of food items that will surely make you go for seconds (and maybe even thirds 😅 ).

Vegetable Samosas 😇

Vegetable Samosas: A Breakdown

Recipe Origin 😮‍💨

Travel back in time to the bustling streets of India, where the savory aroma of spices fills the air and street vendors offer up delectable delights. Among them, the humble samosa reigns supreme.

Originally crafted in the royal kitchens of the Middle East, the samosa embarked on a journey across deserts and found its way to the vibrant markets of India. Here, it transformed into the vegetable samosa – a crispy pastry filled with a fragrant mix of mashed potatoes, veggies, and spices.

Today, the vegetable samosa is cherished worldwide for its delicious taste and cultural significance.

Recipe Breakdown 🧑‍🍳

Ingredients

For the Dough:

All-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Pinch of salt
Water, as needed

For the Filling:

Medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
Mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn), boiled and chopped
Small onion, finely chopped
Cloves of garlic, minced
Ginger, grated
Green chili, finely chopped (optional)
Cumin Seeds
Garam Masala
Turmeric Powder
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for sautéing
Oil, for deep frying

Understanding the Process

We start with the dough. And feel free to use a ready-to-go dough like phyllo pastry sheets or spring roll dough. But, for you courageous bunch, mix flour, a pinch of salt, and some vegetable oil. Slowly add water, kneading until you've got a smooth dough. Cover it up and let it chill.

Now, for the filling. Heat a pan and toss in cumin seeds. As they bloom, add chopped onions, garlic, and ginger. Let it sizzle and get fragrant. Stir in mashed potatoes, the mixed veggies, and spices. Let everything mingle and cook.

With the dough rested and the filling ready, it's time to assemble. Roll out the dough, cut it into semi-circles, and spoon in the filling. Fold, seal, and shape them into triangles.

And there you have it! From dough to filling, you've created your own batch of tasty samosas ready to be fried to a perfect golden brown.

Endless Variations

Aside from these core elements, you’ll find that everyone has their own preferences.

Stuffing: While the classic vegetable samosa features a savory mixture of potatoes, vegetables, and spices, you’ll likely come across rifts that opt for Paneer, Spinach, or even Sweet Potato. Non-veg samosas, such as ‘Kheema’ (or minced meat), have also grown in popularity for their savory and rich taste.
Fried vs. Baked: We get it. You want to eat healthy. And baked samosas (or air-fried 😇 ) are a great snack. You may not get the same crispiness or richness of flavor, but you’ll still get a binge-able snack that’s great for sharing.
To Dip or Not to Dip: The classic pairing for vegetable samosas is a sweet, tangy Tamarind Chutney (make sure to subscribe for a breakdown of your next favorite dipping sauce directly to your inbox). Mint Chutney is a more common dipping sauce for Kheema Samosas as the herbaceousness of the mint cuts against the gaminess of the meat. And if you’re not a dipper, maybe you’re a squeezer! A fresh squeeze of lemon alone will add levels (‘🤯’)to the ever-humble, Vegetable Samosa.