Samosa

Samosa is India’s favorite fried street food. Be it old, young or even kids, everyone enjoys eating samosa. Its crisp crust and soft aloo filling makes it totally drool worthy.

Since childhood you have heard your moms asking dad, get some samosas, as guests are coming over. Everyone has at least one of their favorite and special samosa place. Those mornings with family and wonderful evenings with friends are best enjoyed with samosa and chai.

Having said a lot about Samosa, please don’t feel amazed when I say it’s not a Indian; origin dish. Yes you read it right, Samosa is said to have originated in Middle East prior to the 10th century. Samosas were introduced in India only in 13th or 14th century by traders from Central Asia.

In older days originally people used minced fillings to prepare samosa. Later, in India samosa got different fillings like minced chicken, meat or potato.

This unique and interesting triangle shaped, fried and crisp savory food item is made using all purpose flour and filling of your choice. Samosas in small running carts or even larger sweet shops makes them filled with aloo which is everyone’s favorite.

When it is so liked by all, why not try making it in our own kitchen with all fresh ingredients and serve hot in our family? Wouldn’t it be a great idea to get praises from all of your family members, while you serve them their favorite street food prepared in hygienic way. So here is my own homemade samosa recipe.

Preparation Time – 10 - 15 Mins
Cooking Time – 20 – 25 Mins
Serves – 8 Samosas

Ingredients –

For Covering/Crust
• All Purpose Flour/ Maida – 1.5 Cups
• Ghee or Oil – 4 Tbsp
• Carom Seeds/Ajwain – 1 Tsp
• Salt to taste
• Water as required to knead

For Filling
• Boiled Potatoes (Aloo) – 3-4 Medium Size
• Green Peas (Matar) – ½ Cup
• Finely chopped green chilies – 1 Tsp
• Finely chopped ginger – 1Tsp
• Cumin Seeds – 1 Tsp
• Fennel Seeds – 1 Tsp
• Coriander Seeds – 1 Tsp
• Oil – ½ Tbsp
• Red Chili Powder – 1 Tsp
• Garam Masala Powder – 1 Tsp
• Dry Mango (Amchoor) Powder – 1 Tsp
• Turmeric Powder – ½ Tsp
• Salt to taste

Method -

1. Take a mixing bowl & add flour, ghee, carom seeds and salt.

2. Mix everything together well to get breadcrumbs like consistency.

3. Adding water in small quantity start kneading the dough.

4. Knead firm dough.

5. Apply some oil on top and cover with a wet kitchen towel and let it rest for 20 – 30 mins.

For Stuffing
5. Heat oil in a pan or wok (kadhai), add cumin seeds and let it splutter.

6. Add finely chopped green chilies and ginger. Cook for half a minute.

7. Add turmeric powder and mix.

8. Add peas, cook till peas are nicely done. This will take about 4-5 mins. (If using frozen peas, it won’t take much time to cook).

9. Meanwhile dry roast fennel seeds and coriander seeds and slightly crush them.

10. Now add salt, red chili powder, garam masala powder, amchoor powder and crushed fennel and coriander powder to peas.

11. Mash boiled potatoes nicely. Add to peas and mix well.
12. Allow masala to cool down a bit.

Shaping and filling Samosa
13. After resting the dough for a while, knead the dough again.

14. Divide the dough into 4 equal sized balls.

15. Start rolling each ball one by one, roll the ball into medium thickness it should neither be too thin nor too thick.

16. Cut the rolled dough ball into to equal halves (semicircle).

17. Take one the halves and apply some water on the edges which will help the edges to stick together nicely and hence nice shape of samosa.

18. Bring together the edges giving them the shape of samosa (triangle/cone). Seal the edges nicely so that it doesn’t open up while frying.

18. Add potato filling to samosa and seal the remaining edges (circumference of samosa) together.

19. Make samosas in a similar way with the remaining dough and filling. Keep aside.
20. Meanwhile heat enough oil in kadai to deep fry samosas.

21. When oil is nicely hot, start frying the samosas.

22. Deep fry samosas on a low flame to ensure it cooks well from inside. As soon as you place samosa in hot oil, oil will start bubbling up. Once oil stops to bubble, it indicates frying is been done.

23. Once done drain excess oil on tissue paper.
24. Deep fry samosa in similar way in batches.
25. Serve hot with mint chutney and sweet tamarind chutney.