“I find this samosa recipe utilizes a lot of common staples people have in their homes and is super delicious. You can bake this too, don’t have to fry.”

– Sarah Mittelstadt, Farm Table’s Chef and Restaurant Manager

Pastry Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  •  4 tablespoons oil
  •  4 tablespoons water

Stuffing Ingredients

  •     4-5 medium potatoes, boiled in their jackets and allowed to cool
  •     4 tablespoons oil
  •     1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
  •     1 cup (175 g) shelled peas
  •     1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
  •     1 fresh hot green chilli, finely chopped
  •     3 tablespoons very finely chopped fresh green coriander (cilantro)
  •     3 tablespoons water
  •     1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  •     1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
  •     1 teaspoon garam masala
  •     1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin seeds
  •     1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  •     2 tablespoons lemon juice
  •     oil for deep frying

Instructions

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl.  Add the 4 tablespoons on oil
and rub it in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse
breadcrumbs.  Slowly add about 4 tablespoons water –– or a tiny bit
more –– and gather the dough into a stiff ball.

Empty the ball out on to clean work surface.  Knead the dough for
about 10 minutes or until it is smooth.  Make a ball.  Rub the ball
with about 1/4 teaspoon oil and slip it into a plastic bag.  Set
aside for 30 minutes or longer.

Make the stuffing. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/4-inch dice.
Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over a medium flame.
When hot, put in the onion. Stir and fry until brown at the edges.
Add the peas, ginger, green chilli, fresh coriander (cilantro), and
3 tablespoons water. Cover, lower heat and simmer until peas are
cooked.  Stir every now and then and add a little more water if the
frying pan seems to dry out.

Add the diced potatoes, salt, coriander seeds, garam masala, roasted
cumin, cayenne, and lemon juice.  Stir to mix.  Cook on low heat for
3-4 minutes, stirring gently as you do so.  Check balance of salt and
lemon juice.  You may want more of both.  Turn off the heat and allow
the mixture to cool.

Knead the pastry dough again and divide it into eight balls.  Keep 7
covered while you work with the eighth.  Roll this ball out into a
7-inch (18 cm) round.  Cut it into half with a sharp, pointed knife.
Pick up one half and form a cone, making a 1/4-inch wide (5 mm),
overlapping seam.  Glue this seam together with a little water. Fill
the cone with about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the potato mixture.  Close
the top of the cone by sticking the open edges together with a little
water. Again, your seam should be about 1/4 inch (5 mm) wide. Press
the top seam down with the prongs of a fork or flute it with your
fingers. Make 7 more samosas.

Heat about 1 1/2- to 2-inches (4-5 cm) of oil for deep frying over a
medium-low flame.  You may use a small, deep, frying pan for this or
an Indian karhai.  When the oil is medium hot, put in as many samosas
as the pan will hold in a single layer.  Fry slowly, turning the
samosas frequently until they are golden brown and crisp.  Drain on
paper towel and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Alternatively, bake at 400º F for approximately 20 minutes. For a shiny brown crust brush with an egg wash before baking.

Samosa Recipe from Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian Cooking.