Indian Samosas

Recipe -- Indian Samosa

 

Samosas are a popular Indian snack or starter, usually served with some type of sweet chutney. Many samosa recipes are quite spicy hot but this particular recipe is mildly spiced making it enjoyable even for children. Samosas make a tasty lunch or dinner served with a salad and chutney of your choice and they also great for picnics as they are easy to pack and just as delicious served at room temperature.

a

Ingredients

a

Filling

  • 2 tablespoons ghee or oil
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
  • pinch dried chilli flakes
  • ¾ teaspoon asafetida powder or 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 500g potatoes cubed
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • ¾ cup water
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Ghee or oil for deep frying

Pastry

  • 1 1/4 cups plain flour
  • 1 ¼ cups wholemeal flour
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons melted ghee, butter or oil
  • Between ½ and ¾ cup warm water

a

Method

a

Filling

Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee or oil in a large frying pan over a moderate heat and sauté the cumin seeds in the hot oil until they turn golden brown.

Add the ginger and stir-fry for 1 min.

Add the asafetida and stir momentarily, or sauté the onion until soft, then add the potatoes and peas.

Add the turmeric, cinnamon, chilli flakes salt and water and stir.

Reduce the heat to low, and cover stirring occasionally for about 15 – 20 mins or until the vegetables are tender.

Add the fresh coriander leaves and lemon juice.

Remove from the heat and coarsely mash the vegetables.

Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

a

Pastry

Mix the flours and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Add the melted ghee, butter or oil and rub it between your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the warm water a little at a time until it becomes pliable dough.

Knead for 8 mins until it becomes smooth & elastic.

Break into 10 equal size balls.

Roll balls into rounds approx. 15cm round. Cut each circle into two semi circles.

Fold each semi circle into half to make a cone, wet the seam of the cone with water and press well.

Fill the cones with COOLED filling leaving at least 1 cm space on top of the cone. Wet and press like for previous seam, and then pleat the sealed seam or press with a fork.

Deep fry until golden brown.