Indian Samosas
September 5th is World Samosa Day but we revel in its universality no matter what time of year it is.
Pockets full of Goodness
Crispy, savory, and an incredibly simple snack to prepare, samosas are found in nearly every roadside food vendor, movie theater, or restaurant around the Indian subcontinent; going by many names and enveloping any combination of area-specific ingredients available.
There are a surprising number of regional varieties one may try when visiting this fascinatingly diverse part of the world! Small or large; baked or fried; vegetarian, sweet, or savory – there is a samosa out there just waiting to satisfy whatever craving you have.
Simplicity in Diversity
While the triangular shape and overall flaky texture are a constant, with only subtle changes to the pastry, what’s inside is what begins to tell the complex story of that particular area. Around India, samosas are often filled with mashed or diced, cooked potato with vegetables and spices, then deep-fried in ghee or oil to achieve a golden brown, crunchy crust.
Served hot with a side of fresh chutney and cup of steamy chai tea, these delectable pastries can be vegetarian or meaty; a sweet version with fruits and mawa (also called khoya, a sweet milk-cheese) is dipped in a sugar-syrup before serving. Visit Ahmedabad for spicy minced meat samosa, called lukhmi; Bihar for a ginger-seasoned potato version; or around eastern Indian regions for smaller potato, nut, and raisin-filled shigaras.
Historical Chronicles
What we know of as the samosa today – a staple Indian snack or appetizer – is not actually of Indian origin, but Middle Eastern or Central Asian!
A medieval Persian poem mentions the earliest form of the samosa – sanbusaj – as far back as the 10th century but it truly gained its cultural significance following a 13th century reference to its recipe in an Arabic cookbook.
Traveling Central Asian merchants, and their saddle bags of these mince-filled pastries, are credited to have carried the dish along the silk route or Indian coast through its influenced regions to its claimed home of India.
Samsa officially debuted on Indian soil in the 1300s, so named after its shape resembling the pyramids of Central Asia, and featured ingredients like ghee, onion, and meat.
A Polyonymies Dish
In Bangladesh, shingaras can incorporate beef liver as a popular addition in some parts of the country with the usual ingredients. Pakistani versions can include minced meat and vegetables as a prevalent iftaar food for families celebrating Ramadan. It is a dish well associated with regional holy meals spent with loved ones. Around the Middle East, crescent-shaped versions of sambousek are stuffed with meat, onion, cheese, or pine nuts.
Portuguese-majority speaking countries such as Brazil, Portugal, and Goa, India also have a similar meat-filled pastry to samosa, called chamuças or pastéis, respectively. Chickpeas replaced potatoes in the Israeli version, and Moroccans added peas to their filling.
In regions like North America, the UK, and Australia, frozen samosas are becoming more available in grocery stores with some variations to the dough.
Variations
For a faster dinner: Cut tortillas into bite size pieces and fry them in oil until slightly brown. Serve them with the filling.
For a most authentic dinner: Substitute tortillas with authentic samosas dough (see below).
For a change: Use the filling with a pie crust.
The Samosas Culinary Spice Kit includes the following spices:
Mango Chutney
Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 large ripe mango, diced
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp raisins (optional)
Spices, one or all:
cumin, coriander (1/2 tsp or to taste)
cayenne, turmeric (1/4 tsp or to taste)
Instructions
In a small POT, add 1 tbsp oil and fry onions over medium heat until they turn translucent, stirring occasionally.
Add ginger and garlic and continue for 1 minute.
Add mango, vinegar, honey, and raisins (optional). Season with salt and spices to taste.
Cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Indian Samosas
Ingredients
Protein
- 1 lb ground* meat**
Fresh Produce
- 3 large potatoes boiled skin on
- 1 cup peas frozen
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Packaged Goods/Staples
- 12 medium tortillas**** cut in half
- vegetable oil or ghee
- salt
Samosas Culinary Spice Kit
- Coriander (toasted), cumin (toasted), turmeric, cardamom, chili (mild), cinnamon, cloves, white peppercorn.
Optionally, add to taste to the filling:
- 2-3 cloves garlic grated
- 1 inch ginger grated
- 0.25 cup cashew or macadamia nuts chopped
- 1-2 fresh chilis chopped
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 0.25 cup raisins
For the Dough (optional)
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup oil
Mint Raita (optional)
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp cumin optional
- 1 dash ajwain seeds optional
- fresh or dried chili to taste optional
Suggested Sides
- basmati rice
Instructions
Prepare potatoes
- Peel and roughly chop the potatoes.
Prepare filling
- In a large PAN, heat 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat.
- Stir-fry Samosas spices about 30 seconds.
- Add meat and salt to taste.
- Stir-fry until the meat is crumbled and cooked through.
- Add potatoes and salt to taste. Mix well.
- Let it cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a bit of water if necessary.
- Add peas and salt to taste. Mix well.
- Continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Prepare samosas*** (video link in the notes)
- Brush the straight edge with a bit of water.
- Form a cone by overlapping half of the straight edge with the other half.
- Fill the cone.
- Brush the top inner edges with a bit of water.
- Press the edges together to close.
- Repeat.
**** Prepare dough (if not using tortillas)
- In a BOWL, mix flour with salt.
- Optionally, add 1/4 tsp ajwain seeds.
- Add 1/4 cup of oil. Knead until crumbled.
- Gradually, add 1/4 cup of water.
- Knead into a firm dough.
- Cover and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Form 6 balls.
- Roll each ball out into about 6 to 8 diameter.
Fry samosas made with tortillas***
- In a POT, heat oil to medium-high.
- Fry 3-4 samosas until they turn slightly brown.
- Repeat.
Fry samosas made with authentic dough
- In a POT, heat oil to medium.
- Fry 3-4 samosas for 5 minutes.
- Turn the heat up and fry samosas until they turn slightly brown.
- Repeat.
Mint Raita
- Optionally, pour the yogurt into a strainer lined with a paper towel and a bowl underneath. Keep it in the fridge for a few hours. The drained yogurt will be wonderfully creamy.
- In a BOWL, mix yogurt with Dal [2] spices and salt to taste.
Serve
- Serve samosas with basmati rice and mint raita.
- Enjoy!
