Samosa

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2 cm chunks so they cook quickly. In a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10-12 minutes until just tender but not waterlogged. Drain well and let the steam escape; drier potatoes make a less soggy filling.

2. 2

   While the potatoes cook, make the dough. In a bowl, rub the neutral oil into the plain flour, fine salt, and ajwain seeds until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water and bring together into a firm dough; do not knead until smooth like bread dough, or the crust can turn bready instead of flaky. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Mash the drained potatoes roughly, keeping some small chunks for texture. Heat 15 ml neutral oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant, then add the fresh ginger and green chilli and cook briefly without browning.

4. 4

   Add the green peas, ground coriander, garam masala, turmeric, red chilli powder, and fine salt. Stir for 1 minute to bloom the spices. Add the mashed potatoes and toss well so the spices coat everything evenly. Finish with fresh coriander leaves and lemon juice. Cook 1 more minute, then spread the filling on a plate to cool quickly; cool filling prevents the pastry from softening.

5. 5

   Mix the plain flour and water into a thick paste for sealing. Divide the rested dough into 4 equal balls. Roll each ball into an oval about 16 cm long and 2 mm thick, then cut each oval in half crosswise to make 8 semicircles total.

6. 6

   Take one semicircle and lightly moisten the straight edge with a little flour paste. Form it into a cone, overlapping the straight sides and pressing firmly to seal. Fill with about 2 tablespoons of potato mixture, leaving a small border. Seal the open top with more paste, pressing out any trapped air. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling.

7. 7

   Heat the 600 ml neutral oil in a deep pan over low-medium heat to about 150-160°C. Fry the samosas in small batches for 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly golden and crisp. Start at a moderate temperature rather than very hot oil; this helps the pastry blister gently and cook through without burning. Increase the heat slightly near the end if needed for colour.

8. 8

   Drain the samosas on a rack or paper towel for 2 minutes. Serve hot, ideally with mint chutney or tamarind chutney.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •A firm dough and low-temperature frying are the two key techniques for properly crisp, flaky samosas.
• •If you prefer, use frozen peas straight from the freezer; no need to thaw first.
• •For a slightly lighter version, the samosas can be baked at 200°C for 25-30 minutes after brushing with oil, though the texture will be less traditional.
• •Do not overfill the cones or the seams may burst during frying.

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