Samosa (Crisp Potato and Pea Pastries)
Local name: समोसा
In short: Flaky, blistered pastry cones filled with spiced potato and peas, fried slowly until golden. Serve with green chutney and a cup of hot chai. It takes about 2 h 5 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h
- Cook
- 1 h 5 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 2 h 5 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 430 kcal
Samosas are crisp, golden pastries stuffed with spiced potato and peas, sold at tea stalls and sweet shops across India and eaten with chutney and a cup of chai. The pastry is a stiff, oil-rubbed dough that blisters as it fries slowly, which gives the crunchy, flaky shell. The filling is seasoned with toasted coriander, cumin and dried mango powder. Fry them low and slow, and let them cool for a few minutes before biting.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, ajwain and salt. Rub in the 4 tbsp oil until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs and holds together when squeezed. Add the cold water a little at a time and knead into a stiff, smooth dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Boil the potatoes until tender, then peel and crumble them coarsely. Let them cool.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Fry the cumin and crushed coriander seeds for 20 seconds, then add the ginger, green chilies and peas for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the chili powder, garam masala, potatoes and salt and cook for 3 minutes. Add the mango powder and fresh coriander, then spread the filling out to cool completely.
- Divide the dough into 6 balls. Roll each into an oval of about 18 cm (7 in) and cut across the middle into two half-moons.
- Wet the straight edge of a half-moon with water and fold it into a cone, overlapping the edges and pressing the seam firmly. Fill with 2 heaped tbsp of filling, wet the open rim and pinch it shut.
- Heat the frying oil to 150°C (300°F). Fry the samosas in batches of 4 for 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden and crisp, with small blisters on the crust.
- Drain on a rack and cool for 5 minutes before serving with green or tamarind chutney.
Tips
- Fry low and slow. Gentle heat cooks the dough through and makes the blisters that mean a flaky crust. Hot oil browns the outside while the dough stays raw.
- For a lighter version, brush the samosas with oil and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, or air-fry at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes.
Questions and answers
Why are my samosas soft instead of crisp?
The dough was probably too soft, or the oil was too hot, so the crust never dried. Make a stiff dough with enough oil rubbed in and fry slowly at 150°C (300°F).
Can I freeze samosas?
Yes. Freeze the shaped, uncooked samosas on a tray, then bag them for 2 months. Fry from frozen at low heat for 15 to 18 minutes.
How do I keep samosas from bursting?
Do not overfill them, make sure the filling is cool, and seal the edges firmly with water. A cool filling releases less steam inside the pastry.
How long does it take to make Samosa (Crisp Potato and Pea Pastries)?
About 2 h 5 min in total: 1 h of preparation and 1 h 5 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Samosa (Crisp Potato and Pea Pastries)?
About 430 kcal per serving, with 8 g of protein, 55 g of carbohydrates and 20 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 430 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 55 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 520 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
