Healthy Apple Dumpling
The Osho commune is the brainchild of "Rajneesh" Chandra Mohan Jain and self-proclaimed “Bhagwan”. The spectacular commune looks more like a spa or resort than a religious center complete with waterfalls, exotic flora and fauna and bold architecture. And the beautifully landscaped Osho Park created out of a swamp is just breathtaking. Bhagwan Rajneesh was infamous for his teachings as they encouraged communal sexual indulgence. Here’s a man who took the bumper sticker “Make love, not war” a bit too seriously and turned it into a religion. I for one totally support such thinking.
Osho ashram has brought a lot of good things to Koregaon Park. The best thing to happen to Koregaon Park as a result of the ashram, however, is the German Bakery. Situated right on the entrance to Koregaon Park, it looks like a beach shack situated on a main road. Although from the name, you’d think they serve German snacks, it is still Pune city, and the menu is a mish-mash of anything goes. On my first encounter with the German Bakery, I felt totally out of place amongst the beaded, orange robed, Rajneesh firangs. I had my first Apple Danish Pastry at the German Bakery. “This is a really stupid pattice” I remember my cousin remarking. Clearly, the place was not meant for vada-pav morons like yours truly. Looking back, it was actually quite delicious if you weren’t expecting to bite into a spicy pattice. I went back a few more times and have fond memories of the German bakeries. I thought I’d treat my wife by recreating the taste with a slightly healthier version (by replacing the butter pastry shell with a healthy dumpling wrapper and boiling it).
Ingredients
3 Apples peeled and diced into small pieces
½ tsp Cinnamon Powder
¼ tsp Nutmeg
3 tsp sugar
1 cup Water
Wonton Wrappers (or extremely thin flour rotis)
Method
Add apples, sugar, water, cinnamon and nutmeg to the pot and boil on medium flame
Boil till apples are cooked and all the water has been absorbed
Allow the mixture to cool
Place a wonton wrapper on a sheet or a dumpling press and wet one side
Place 1 tsp apple mixture in the centre of the wrapper and close the dumpling making sure there are no air pockets
Make dumplings and place aside
Bring a pot of water to a boil
Add 6-8 dumplings to the pot and allow them to boil for no more than 3 minutes
Scoop dumplings from the water with a holed spoon and onto a plate
Drizzle honey and cinnamon
Serve hot
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