A Little History And An Easy Samosa Recipe

Samosa is the gorgeous, deep-fried pack of spicy goodness filled with chicken/meat and potatoes. Few family gatherings or iftar parties are complete without this signature snack. It is one food that has travelled far and wide and has left its footprints around the globe. It originated in the ancient empires that arose on the Iranian plateau at the dawn of civilization.
No one knows for sure when the first cooks shaped pastry into the familiar triangular shape, but the name’s origins are Persian. It is mentioned in literature by the Persian historian Abul-Fazi Beyhaqiʼs writing in the 11th century. He describes a dainty delicacy served as a snack in the great courts of the mighty Ghaznavid empire. Samosa is a popular snack in many parts of the world. Perhaps its biggest secret to popularity and survival over the centuries is its different varieties of fillings, catering to various tastes across the globe.
If you enjoy eating Samosa, but you have no idea how to make it, here is a quick recipe for you;
Ingredients
Dough
2 cups all-purpose flour
One teaspoon salt
Two teaspoons oil
1 cup water
Vegetable oil, for frying Filling
1 cup of boiled potato cut into cubes
1/2 cup of green peas, cooked
Salt
Seasoning
Cayenne Pepper
Two garlic cloves, thinly chopped
One small onion, chopped ginger, thinly chopped
Turmeric powder
Cumin powder ( could be substituted with suya spice)
Making The Dough
Sieve the flour and salt together in a bowl.
Add the oil. Mix it in your fingers, working with a handful of flour at a time. Keep mixing until the dough begins to form. It should be
quite dry and flaky.
Mix in 5 tablespoons of water. Use your finger to put the water into the dough to loosen it up. It should be soft but not wet. Add more water if necessary.
Now it is time to knead the dough. Put it on a clean surface and knead with your hands for about four minutes until it is smooth and shiny. Form it into the shape of a ball.
Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
Cover it with plastic wrap. Let it rest on the table; this will help the dough achieve a better texture. Now it is time to make the filling.
Filling
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Place it over medium-high heat and allow it to get hot. Throw in the cumin powder or suya spice, and fry for about 30 seconds.
Add the onion and ginger. Sauté them with the cumin powder for about five minutes until the onion becomes translucent.
Add the garlic, cayenne pepper, turmeric and salt. Sauté the spices and fold them into the mix for one minute.
Add the potatoes and peas. Stir gently and cook until the potatoes dry; this will take about three minutes. Mix and mash lightly.
Allow the filling to cool. Remove it from the heat and let it cool off.
Now that you have prepared the filling divide the dough into equal portions. Make balls from the dough; you can make them bigger or smaller.
Take a dough ball one at a time and roll it into a thin oval or circular shape. Cut the flat-out dough in the middle to form a semi-circle, fold the dough to form a cone with one edge overlapping another and seal the edge with water.
Add the potato filling to the cone and seal the water to form a triangle. Cut off any excess dough and press the edge with a fork. Continue this until you have finished the batter and filling, then set it aside.
Place a frying pan on medium heat and add oil; allow to heat up. Add Samosa to the oil, make sure you donʼt put a lot of samosas in the pan at once, reduce the heat and fry until it is brown on both sides. Take it off the heat and drain.
Your Samosa is ready to be served. You can serve it with sauce or ketchup.