Baked Whole Wheat Spinach Tofu Samosa

Hi all! I am sure everyone is having a blast this summer and enjoying the sun. The picnic baskets, beaches, barbeques and drinks to keep you cool are all the fun summer brings along. I have always found barbeque in hot summer quirky. But then it rocks together so why bother. The sizzling sound on the grills and the hot food together with some iced drinks is beyond perfect. 

Apart from the traditional American barbeque foods, I always love bringing in the flavors of my Indian origin to the food. Simple things like grilled corn on the cob drizzled with lemon and spicy salt instead of butter gives a homely pleasure. Likewise serving hot Samosas. Samosa is not a barbeque food but it fits into any occassion for all Indians. I come from North India where it is not an exaggeration if I call Samosa as the religion for any snack time ;-) Traditionally, it is deep fried spicy potatoes filled pastry. 


Samosa is characterized by its deep fried flaky buttery crust. It has evolved a lot with time. People use their choice of fillings from potatoes, peas, lentils to meats. After All, food is all about creativity. Here is my healthy take on it - I fill it up with spinach and tofu yummy filling with just the right spices. Use a whole wheat dough and bake it instead of deep frying. This not only saves a lot on calories but also adds in lot of healthier components like fiber, protein and essential vitamins and minerals. As always, eating healthy does not mean giving up your favorite foods. It is just about doing it the right way. So here is the recipe -

Whole Wheat Spinach Tofu Samosa
serves 8

For the filling
4 cups fresh spinach
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 block of firm or extra firm tofu, drained, dried and crumbled
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1tsp red chilli flakes
salt and pepper to taste

For the dough
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp oil of your choice, I used virgin coconut oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
cold water

• To make the dough, mix all ingredients except water. Work the oil with your fingers in the flour mixture.
• Now use cold water to knead a smooth but firm dough. This is very important.
• Cover with a damp towel and set aside for 30-40 mins minimum.
• Preheat the oven at 400 deg C
• Meanwhile, work on the filling. Heat a saute pan with 2 tsp of oil. Add the onion and cook for few mins until translucent.
• Add spinach and cook it down. This will take couple of mins.
• Turn off the heat and add spices and crumbled tofu. Set aside to cool at room temperature.  **The tofu should be quite dry. If not, remove all the excess water from the filling mixture by straining through a strainer. 
• Make dough balls of about 3 inch each in diameter.
• Roll them out evenly in round disc shape of around 6 inch diameter.
• Now depending on how you like decide the shape you want for your samosa If you want triangles (like shown in my picture) cut the disc in half which will make 2 triangle cones. Else make it a crescent shape.
• So fill in the mixture in your decided cutout and carefully seal the ends. This is imp. You can use water to make perfect tight edges.
• Prepare a baking sheet and line with parchment paper. Line up the filled samosas and brush with your choice oil. I used a mix of vegetable and olive oil.
• Bake in preheated oven for around 30-40 mins. If your samosas do not get the brown covering, broil them on low for 2-3 mins.
• Serve with ketchup or your fav chutney.

** whole wheat samosas are best enjoyed fresh for the crispy flaky crust. If you want to use these for later, use more of all purpose flour in the dough.