Majida Rashid
Here is a jog down the memory lane. If you lived in Michigan during the early 2000s, you may remember a TV commercial for the unhealthiest food that ever popped out of a toaster. Later, cooking them in a microwave oven was promoted. Of all the words in the jingle that accompanied the ad I loved these two words: “Hot Pockets.” If you were a fan of them, please read the ingredients on the carton. My dislike of this ready-made food is due to the fact that when I was growing up whenever I told my mother that I was hungry or I wanted a snack in between meals, she would invariably put left over food from an earlier meal in front of me. That doesn’t mean she didn’t give me snacks, which in general consisted of nuts. Even now as I write I’m eating a slice of cake with coffee that someone brought for me.
Why Hot Pockets when I was and still am repelled by this food? Because the gentle and loving voice of the woman singing the two words still rings in my ear and makes me smile even after years. Hence, I named this dish Hot Pockets.
Wholesome healthy ingredients are a must for my version. Another caveat is that everything should be made from scratch. Though two ingredients, tomato and freshly prepared garlic pastes, can be bought from any Middle Eastern store and restaurant. I prefer tomato paste in a small carton, which usually costs about a dollar, because it finishes quickly and the flavor remains fresh. It also doesn’t contain many preservatives.
The ground beef filling can be prepared one to three days earlier and refrigerated. Pita bread dough is made a day earlier and baked the same day, just before making the pockets. The recipe for pita bread can be found here: https://legalnews.com/detroit/1522428/.
I use the same spices for both fillings. Otherwise, the palate keeps searching one dominant flavor and one can’t settle down to enjoy this dish.
Hot Pockets
Ground Beef Filling
Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds
1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves
Instructions
Heat a pot over medium heat until the base is hot but not smokey.
Add the ground beef and garlic and increase the heat slightly.
Immediately break the meat with a wooden spoon so there are no lumps left.
Keep the heat high and stir frequently. The beef may leave juices.
Cook until the beef changes its color.
Add the onion, spices and mix in well.
Let it cook for ten minutes.
Mix the tomato paste in three cups of water and pour over the meat and stir.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cook, uncovered for half an hour over medium heat, until the water is dried but the meat is still juicy.
Add the salt, stir and cook for further ten minutes.
Garlic cloves can be crushed or removed.
Sprinkle with chopped coriander, cover and cook for a minute over low heat.
Pepper Filling
Ingredients
1/2 each of green, red and yellow bell peppers, finely diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon each of ground coriander and cumin seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat oil, add the bell peppers and stir medium high heat until they are a little soft but crunchy.
Add the spices, toss and remove from the heat.
Assembly
3-4 Pita breads
Fresh garlic paste
Strong cheddar cheese cut into thin and small slices, optional.
Instructions
Cut off a slice from one side of the pita bread.
Spread the garlic paste on the inside of the pocket.
Put the cheese in the base.
Add the meat.
Top it with the bell peppers.
Put in a heated waffle maker and toast until crisp on both sides.
Enjoy!
Serve hot.
2 servings.
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Foodie Majida Rashid lives in Texas. Food and cooking are her passion. Her presentation about her love of food can be viewed on USA Today’s network: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0xi566VSPo – We Spread Love Through Food @Frontiers_Of_Flavor Her philosophical writing can be read at apakistaniwomansjourney.wordpress.com.
