| Samosa recipes are rather like spring roll recipes, they | | | | the filling of your choice. |
| are passed down through families and no two are | | | | Knead the dough again and divide it into 8, making balls |
| alike, so there's a wealth of choice of fillings. | | | | with your hands. Roll the first ball until it is about 7 inch |
| Indians love to eat samosas, usually as a snack, often | | | | in diameter then cut it in half. Take one half and make |
| in the street, but they make a lovely starter to either | | | | it into a cone, overlapping the "seam" by about a |
| an Indian or a Western meal. | | | | ¼ inch and sticking it down with water. Fill the |
| You can fill a samosa with anything - ground meat, | | | | cone with your chosen mixture and close the top |
| vegetables, even fish. You can really use any | | | | seam, again by using a little water. Make the remaining |
| vegetables you like as long as they don't let out a lot | | | | 7 samosas in the same way. |
| of water, such as tomatoes, but the following is a fairly | | | | Heat enough oil to deep fry the samosas and fry as |
| traditional samosa recipe using peas and potatoes. | | | | many as will fit the pan at one time, turning frequently |
| When choosing your samosa recipe, having decided | | | | until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper. |
| on meat or veg, there's the pastry to consider. Do you | | | | The Filling |
| want to make your own pastry, buy shortcrust and roll | | | | Boil 725g (1lb 10oz) potatoes in their skins and allow to |
| it very thin or use frozen filo pastry (which is my | | | | cool, then peel and cut into small cubes. |
| favourite for both ease and a nice crunch when baked | | | | Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a large frying pan and add |
| in the oven). The other advantage of the filo pastry | | | | a finely chopped medium onion, frying until it starts |
| option is that it is low fat, whereas the others involve | | | | turning brown. Add 175g (6 oz) peas (defrosted, if |
| frying. | | | | frozen), 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger, 1 finely chopped |
| The Pastry | | | | hot green chilli, 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander |
| Put 225g (½ lb) plain flour in the bowl of a food | | | | and 3 tbsp water. Cover and simmer until the peas are |
| processor with ½ tsp salt and 4 tbsp vegetable | | | | cooked, stirring occasionally. Add extra water, if the |
| oil. Process on a high setting until the mixture has the | | | | mixture gets too dry. |
| appearance of breadcrumbs. While processing at a | | | | Add the potatoes, salt to taste, 1 tsp coriander powder, |
| medium speed, add 4 tbsp water, very gradually as | | | | 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds |
| you may not need all of it, through the chimney of the | | | | (dry roast in a non-stick frying pan and grind in a pestle |
| processor. The dough should be drawn together in a | | | | and mortar or coffee grinder), ¼ tsp cayenne |
| ball but not sticky. Exchange the cutting blade for the | | | | pepper and lemon juice to taste (about 2tbsp). Mix and |
| dough hook and process on medium for 2 - 3 minutes. | | | | cook for a few minutes, stirring. Check and adjust |
| Of course you can do all the above by hand, if you | | | | seasoning and allow to cool. |
| wish, in which case you'll need to knead the dough for | | | | Look out for my next article on my website which will |
| about 10 minutes. | | | | have a meat filling samosa recipe as well as diagrams |
| The dough should end up as a smooth ball, which you | | | | to show you how to fold filo pastry, if you choose to |
| should then brush with a little vegetable oil, wrap in cling | | | | use it, then there will be my favourite spring roll recipe |
| film and leave for about half an hour, meanwhile make | | | | too. |