Samosas are snacks commonly found in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. In general, samosas consist of a triangular pastry shell with a vegetarian filling consisting of potatoes, onions, cilantro, and peas. The paneer and meat stuffed versions are also quite popular. See step 1 for how to make the filling and chapattin and then arrange the samosas before frying.
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons oil or ghee
- 1 cup water
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Stuffing
- 1 cup boiled potatoes, diced
- 1/2 cup cooked peas
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons mashed fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 finely chopped green chilies
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander and cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
- Salt
Step
Part 1 of 3: Making the Dough
Step 1. Sift flour and salt together into a bowl
Add salt to taste.
Step 2. Add ghee or oil
Mixing with your fingers, mix a certain amount of flour at a time. Mix until all the flour is coated in fat and a dough begins to form. The dough should be dry and easy to part.
Step 3. Add 5 tablespoons of water
Use your fingers to mix the water until the dough is sticky. The consistency of the dough should be smooth and pliable, but not soggy. Add more water if necessary.
Step 4. Take out the dough and knead
Place the dough on a clean surface and knead with your hands for about 4 minutes, until smooth and slightly glossy. Shape into a ball.
Step 5. Leave the dough for 30 minutes
Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit while you make the filling. That way your dough will have a better texture.
Part 2 of 3: Making the Fill
Step 1. Heat the oil in a large skillet
Turn on medium heat, and let the oil heat up.
Step 2. Add the cumin seeds
Saute the cumin until it releases the aroma and taste. Saute until your room smells nice and the seeds start to split open, about 30 seconds.
Step 3. Add the onion and ginger
Saute along with the cumin seeds for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent.
Step 4. Add garlic, chili, turmeric, salt, and garam masala
Saute the herbs and stir into the mixture for 1 minute.
Step 5. Add potatoes and peas
Stir gently and cook until the potatoes are dry, which is about 3 minutes. Mix and mash gently.
Step 6. Cool the filling
Remove from the heat and let cool while you prepare the chapatti for the filling.
Part 3 of 3: Making Samosas
Step 1. Divide the dough into eight equal parts
You can use a measuring cup, but it's easier to just look at it.
Step 2. Grind each piece into chapatti
Chapatti is a round, flat, thin dough. In this case each should be 6 inches in diameter. Use a wooden mill or press the chapatti with your hands.
Step 3. Cut each chapatti into two halves
Use a knife to cut the chapatti.
Step 4. Stuff and fold the samosas
Take 2 tablespoons of filling and put it in the middle of the dough, then bring the ends together to form a funnel. Cover the ends with a little water. (You can also make a paste with flour and water to make it easier to cover the samosas).
- Use your fingers to press down on the ends of the samosas.
- For a prettier end, you can use a fork to press down on the ends.
Step 5. Repeat until all ingredients are used up
When you're done filling everything, set it aside on a plate or tray.
Step 6. Heat the oil
Add oil until it fills a few inches of a large pot or frying pan. Heat the oil to 170 degrees C. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the oil or add a small amount of dough to test the heat of the oil.
Step 7. Fry the samosas
Place 3 to 4 samosas in the skillet. Fry for about 10 minutes until both sides are golden brown. Don't overfill the pan or your samosas will crack.
- When finished frying, remove the samosas and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to collect the excess oil.
- Do not fry the samosas for too long as the batter will harden.
Step 8. Serve hot with green chutney
Crispy hot samosas are ready to be eaten with chutney.
