Vegetable Mince Filling for Patties and Samosas
A rich, savory Parsi-style vegetable filling designed specifically for stuffing patties, samosas, or pies. This "Vegetable Kheema" combines finely diced root vegetables, peas, and beans simmered in a spiced tomato base until thick and dry. The mixture is flavored with ginger, garlic, garam masala, and a touch of Worcestershire sauce, creating a complex, textured filling that holds up perfectly inside pastry crusts.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Ripe tomatoes (Originally '2 Sher'. Use ripe, juicy tomatoes.)
- 1 pound Onions (Originally '1 Sher'. Finely chopped.)
- 1 pound Mixed root vegetables (Potatoes, Yam/Suran, Sweet Potato) (Originally '1 Sher' total mixed vegetables. Peel and cut into very small dice.)
- 1 small Carrot (Use sparingly as per original instructions.)
- 1/2 cup Green peas (Fresh or frozen.)
- 1/4 cup French beans (Finely chopped.)
- 1/4 cup Okra (Ladyfinger) (Sliced into thin rings. Optional if preferred, but included in original recipe.)
- 1/2 cup Ghee (For frying. Use less if preferred.)
- 1 tablespoon Fresh ginger (Originally '1 tola'. Minced or paste.)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Garlic (Originally '1/2 tola'. Minced or paste.)
- 1 cup Fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) (Originally '3 bunches'. Chopped.)
- 2 whole Green chilies (Finely chopped. Adjust to taste.)
- 1 tablespoon Garam masala (Originally '1 flat spoon'.)
- 2 teaspoons Salt (Originally '1 tola'. Adjust to taste.)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (Originally 'Vilayati sauce'. Adjust to taste.)
Instructions
- 1Wash the tomatoes and extract their pulp and juice. Pass the pulp through a sieve to remove skins and seeds. Discard the solids and collect the juice in a cooking pot. Add the salt to the tomato juice.
- 2Peel the potatoes, yam (suran), sweet potato, purple yam, and carrots. Cut all of them into very small, uniform dice (like small cubes). Wash and pat them completely dry. Boil the green peas separately until tender. Wash and cut the okra into thin rings (about 1/3 inch). String the French beans and cut them into small 1/2 inch pieces.
- 3Wash the cilantro and separate the leaves. Finely chop the green chilies. Peel and mince the ginger and garlic. Peel the onions and chop them finely. Divide the chopped onions into three parts.
- 4Heat the ghee in a frying pan. Fry the diced root vegetables, beans, and okra in batches until they turn red/golden. Remove the fried vegetables with a slotted spoon and add them directly into the pot containing the tomato juice. Add the boiled green peas to the pot as well (do not fry the peas).
- 5Add two parts of the raw chopped onions directly into the pot with the tomato juice and vegetables. In the remaining ghee in the frying pan, fry the last part of the onions until almond-brown. Add the minced ginger and garlic to the frying onions and cook until red/golden. Immediately pour this entire tempering mixture (ghee, onions, ginger, garlic) into the main pot with the vegetables.
- 6Mix everything in the pot well. Cover and cook over low heat (embers). Stir occasionally, using the back of the spoon to slightly mash and break the vegetable pieces into the mixture. Continue cooking until the moisture evaporates and the mixture becomes dry like a mince (kheema). When nearly dry, stir in the cilantro and green chilies. Remove from heat, mix in the garam masala, and let it cool. Once cool, stir in the Worcestershire sauce to taste. Note: If using this filling for patties or samosas, ensure it is not too oily; use less ghee initially or drain excess before filling.