Samosas

Name: Samosas
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 24 samosas
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 4 tablespoons melted butter or 4 tablespoons ghee; 3/4 cup cold water; 2 lbs potatoes, peeled; 4 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 teaspoons mustard seeds (yellow or black); 2 medium onions, finely chopped; 4 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped; 3 teaspoons fennel seeds; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 tablespoon ground coriander; 1 teaspoon turmeric; 1 cup frozen green pea, defrosted; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons water; 1 teaspoon garam masala; 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

(17)

Recipe by Sackville

This comes from the Time Life series of international cookbooks and has been a family favourite in our house for at least 10 years. It's best to set aside a morning to make these and haul someone in the kitchen to help put them together. Although they are not difficult to make, it does go faster if you set up an "assembly line". The seasoning given here is what I would consider a minimum but you may want to add more to your taste, especially when it comes to the hot pepper. You could also do half potatoes and half carrots for the filling if you like. The amount this recipe makes is also a guess based on our samosas, which are bigger than bite sized but not as big as you get in some Indian shops. If you don't have a deep fryer, you could use a wok instead. If you are really set on doing a healthier version, you could brush these with oil and bake in an oven until browned on both sides, however the texture of the dough is not as good as if you fry them. If you choose the baking option, you may also have to brush them with oil a few times and flip at least once to get them reasonably browned all over. Frying is really the preferred method.

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READY IN: 2hrs 15mins

YIELD: 24 samosas

UNITS: US

INGREDIENTS

Nutrition

Pastry
3

cups all-purpose flour
1

teaspoon salt
4

tablespoons melted butter or 4 tablespoons ghee
³⁄₄

cup cold water
Filling
2

lbs potatoes, peeled
4

tablespoons vegetable oil
2

teaspoons mustard seeds (yellow or black)
2

medium onions, finely chopped
4

tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
3

teaspoons fennel seeds
1

teaspoon ground cumin
1

tablespoon ground coriander
1

teaspoon turmeric
1

cup frozen green pea, defrosted
1

teaspoon salt
2

tablespoons water
1

teaspoon garam masala
¹⁄₂

teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

First put the potatoes on to boil until tender, then drain and cool.
While the potatoes are cooking, make the pastry by mixing the flour and salt in a bowl.
Pour in the butter or ghee and rub together wtih the flour until it becomes slightly flaky.
Pour 3/4 cup water over the flour and pull the dough together with your hands.
You can add up to 4 tbsp more water, one spoonful at a time, until everything comes together in a bowl.
From here you can knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes or throw it in a mixer with a dough attachment, going until the dough is smooth and elastic.
When the dough is done, place it in a bowl, rub with oil and cover until you are ready to fill the samosas.
Next, start making the filling by cutting your cooked potatoes into cubes.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and throw in the mustard seeds.
Cook until they start to crackle and burst and when that happens immediately add your chopped onion and ginger.
Cook for a few minutes until the onion softens and then add the fennel, cumin, turmeric, potatoes, peas, salt and water.
Stir well and then reduce the heat to low and let cook for about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle over the garam masala and hot pepper and stir again.
Taste for seasoning and then take off the heat.
Now it is time to start filling your samosas.
Grab a piece of dough by pinching off a piece and rolling it thinly and into a circle.
You can make the samosas any size you like.
With a knife, cut the circle in half, moisten the straight edge with a finger dipped in water and then shape it into a cone, pressing the straight edges together to form a seal.
You should now have a little ice cream cone shaped piece of dough which you can spoon filling into.
Fill and then moisten the top edges and press closed.
Set on a plate and cover with foil or plastic wrap until you are ready to cook (up to 2-3 hours later).
To deep fry the samosas, pour 3 cups of vegetable oil into a 12 inch wok and heat until a piece of dough thrown into the oil bubbles.
If you have a deep fryer, you want a temperature around 375°F.
Brown on both sides and drain on paper towel.
Finally, you can enjoy a samosa!