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Pumpkin singaras with tadka raita and mango kachumber
Makes 28 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 650g pumpkin (or coquina or butternut squash) peeled, deseeded and cut into
- 2cm pieces
- 2tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1cm thin piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2tsp ground coriander
- 1tsp ground cumin
- ¼tsp ground cardamom seeds (pods and husks removed)
- 1tsp ground anardana (ground, dried pomegranate seeds)
- 4 sheets of filo pastry
- 75g ghee (very clear, clarified butter)
For the tadka raita
- 125g plain yoghurt
- ½tsp cumin seeds
- 1tsp sesame seeds
- pinch asafoetida
For the mango kachumber
- 1 mango, peeled and all the flesh taken off the stone grated zest and juice of 1 lime
- 15g bunch fresh coriander, leaves removed and chopped
- ¼tsp chilli flakes, finely chopped
- 1tbsp mango chutney
- 1 tomato, deseeded and chopped into small cubes
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/ Gas 6. Spread the pumpkin over a baking tray lined with tin foil and toss with a few teaspoons of the oil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until very soft. Tip into a bowl and mash to a paste with a fork until all the lumps are broken up. Drain through a sieve to remove any excess liquid then return to the bowl.
Heat the rest of the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion, garlic and ginger on a medium heat until soft. Add the chilli and carry on frying until the onion is a light golden brown. Tip into the bowl of pumpkin along with all the other seasoning ingredients, plus ¼tsp salt, and mix well. Leave to cool.
Melt the ghee in a small pan and remove from the heat. Working with one sheet of filo pastry at a time (cover remainder), cut into 7 strips across the width. With each strip facing vertically, put 1tsp of mixture in the bottomleft corner and fold the right-hand corner over to form a triangle. Continue folding in triangles up to the top of the pastry, then brush with water to seal. Place on an oven tray and cover with clingfilm while the others are prepared.
Lightly brush both sides of the singaras with the melted ghee (reserve the excess). Bake for 7 minutes. Turn over and bake for another 8 minutes until puffed and golden.
For the tadka raita, put the yoghurt in a serving bowl and add a pinch of salt. Heat the reserved ghee, add the sesame and cumin seeds and the asafoetida and fry until sizzling, then pour over the yoghurt. Mix in when ready to serve the singaras. For the kachumber, finely chop the mango flesh and combine with the other ingredients.
Serve the singaras with the kachumber and raita.
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