Vegetable puff is a nostalgic treat for me and I am guessing also for other folks who grew eating them from their local bakeries in India. This was the post school snack I used to look forward to once a week. Well no way were my parents going to let me buy one everyday! I used to head to my local Iyengar bakery (IYKYK) right around the time they would be bringing out the freshly baked treats.
Unlike bakeries in the west, most of the baking used to happen in the afternoon. Late afternoon/evening was the typical time to eat baked goods. I would happily eat the crunchy poof-y outer portions because the core with the filling was my favorite. I can tell you that when puff pastry meets veggies and spices, its magical! Also this recipe also does not contain any onion or garlic and is entirely vegan. Hence more people can enjoy it!
Puff pastry makes everything better
I don't think too many people other than doctors will disagree with me here right? I also have a soft spot for puff pastry is because like I said earlier,I grew up eating it unlike a lot of other baked goods. One more reason is because you can get such good ready to use pastry in the grocery stores that you never have to think about making it at home.
I usually use a butter based puff pastry since nothing beats butter. However when I am baking it for everyone at home, I keep it vegan since my husband does not eat most dairy and eggs. A lot of the pastry available in the stores is actually vegan since they just skip butter. The best one I have found is the 'Just Rol' brand(nope not sponsored!). I am sharing it just in case you are looking for a vegan version too.
Looking for inspiration for baking projects? Try these -
The secret to a good vegetable puff is in the filling
Growing up, it took me a long time to realize so many of the vegetables that are so popular in Indian cooking are not even native. Even in these puffs, our main star vegetables are carrots, beans and cabbage! You can also use potatoes and peas but I have stuck to the ones I grew up eating.
The flavors of course comes from simple spices along with curry leaves and that's how this puff gets "Indianized". The vegetables are sautéed in a little oil for a few minutes before adding in the spices. Once the vegetables are cooked, they are ready to be placed inside the pastry sheets and turned in to puffs.
Shaping
The puff pastry sheet I used was a rectangular sheet. I decided to cut and divide them in to smaller 4 sheets. After placing the filling on one half , I just decided to fold the other end of the sheet over the filling. Finally using a fork, I pressed against the edges to hold the filling in.
Usually most store bought sheets are rectangular and you will have to trim the edges to get it to be a square. This will help if you want to fold the sheet over diagonally. You can also brush the edges with some water before crimping to get it to stick better.
Prepping the puff pastry
The puff pastry I used was meant to be used right away and did not require any thawing since I did not have to freeze it. Follow the instructions on the packaging of the puff pastry. This is because some of them might require thawing at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before they can be used.
What amount to filling to use in a vegetable puff?
Making these puffs at home means you get to control the amount of filling. However, it also needs to fit in to the pastry sheet once folded over. Make sure the edges are free of the filling and there is not a huge mound sitting in the middle as well. The filling should be evenly spread and should not result in the pastry sheet splitting open while baking.
What other flavors can I use?
Vegetable puffs are a very versatile snack. As with the vegetables, you can use any flavor profile to suit your taste buds
- Try some cooked off zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, basil, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese for an exquisite Italian dish bursting with flavors.
- Roasted beets and goat cheese
- Mushrooms and spinach
- Tofu marinated with harissa, cilantro, cumin for a spicy middle eastern kick
Best eaten fresh
Puff pastry unfortunately does not lend itself to storage. Hence the vegetable puff is best eaten fresh out of the oven or within a couple of hours after baking. For prepping ahead of time, make the filling and store in the refrigerator for a couple of days to ensure freshness. You can also freeze the filling for up to 3 months and thaw out overnight. Place the filling in a pan and gently heat it up before proceed with making the puffs.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The links provided in this post might include affiliate links which earns me a small commission when you purchase using them at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
Recipe
Vegetable Puff
Equipment
- 1 Large Sheet Pan
- 1 Parchment Lining Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 Pastry Sheet thawed
Filling
- 2 tablespoon Avocado oil
- 1 cup Green beans finely chopped
- 1 cup Carrots Finely diced
- 1 cup Cabbage finely chopped
- 5 Curry Leaves washed and finely chopped
- 1 Green Chillies washed and finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon Black Mustard Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 2 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon Chilli Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Aamchoor(Dry Mango Powder) optional
- 1 pinch Hing(Asafoetida) optional
- 1 cup Water
- 4 tablespoon Cilantro finely chopped, optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a wide frying pan at medium. Add the cumin seeds, mustard and curry leaves and let it cook in the oil until the mustard seeds splutter. Now add the beans and carrots. Saute for a few seconds and let it cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Now add the cabbage and mix well. Cook for a couple of minutes and add the green chillies. Add all of the powdered spices except for the garam masala and aamchur powder. Mix well and add a cup of water.Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook in medium low heat for 8-10 minutes.
- Once all the water has evaporated, add the garam masala and the aamchur powder. mix well. After a couple of minutes add a pinch of hing and cilantro. Turn off the heat and keep aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 deg F. Divide the pastry sheet in to 4 equal parts. Spoon the filling on one side of the sheet ensuring there is equal filling in all four of them. Fold over the other side of the sheet and press down on the 3 open sides. Use a fork to crimp.
- Carefully place the filled pastry sheets on a lined sheet pan making sure there is enough space around them to 'grow'. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown or as per pastry package instructions.
- Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Make sure there is enough space around the edges to be able to close the pastry sheet and seal it. This is important to prevent the filling from spilling out.
- Use a fork to easily crimp the edges
- Ensure all the extra moisture is cooked off from the filling else it might make the puff pastry soggy.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The links provided in this post might include affiliate links which earns me a small commission when you purchase using them at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
Comments
No Comments