
Aloo Samosa (Crisp Potato and Pea Samosas with Coriander Seed)
Flaky, blistered pastry filled with spiced potato, peas and crushed coriander seed. Make a batch for iftar, tea time or guests, and fry them slowly for a crisp shell.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large mixing bowl, rolling pin, deep karahi or heavy pan, slotted spoon, kitchen thermometer (optional)
Method
Mix the flour, 1/2 tsp salt and ajwain in a bowl. Rub in the 4 tbsp oil with your fingertips until the mixture clumps together when squeezed.
Add the lukewarm water a little at a time and bring together a stiff dough. Knead for 5 minutes until smooth, then cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
While the dough rests, heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the cumin and crushed coriander seeds and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the ginger and green chillies and stir for 30 seconds. Add the peas and 2 tbsp water, then cook for 3 minutes until just tender.
Add the chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, amchur and salt, then stir in the potatoes. Mash lightly, leaving small chunks, and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the fresh coriander and cool completely.
Divide the dough into 6 balls. Roll each into an oval about 20 cm long and 3 mm thick, then cut across the middle to make two half-circles.
Brush the straight edge of one half-circle with the flour paste. Fold it into a cone, overlapping the edges by about 1 cm, and press the seam firmly.
Hold the cone in your palm and fill it with about 2 tbsp of filling, packing it in gently. Brush the open rim with paste and pinch it tightly shut. Repeat to make 12 samosas.
Heat the frying oil in a karahi to about 150°C, or until a small piece of dough sinks and rises slowly with tiny bubbles. Keep the heat low to medium.
Fry 4 to 5 samosas at a time for 12 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally. They are done when the pastry is deep golden, firm and covered in small blisters. Drain on a rack or paper towels.
Fry the remaining batches the same way, letting the oil return to temperature between batches. Serve hot.
Cooking tips
- Rub the oil into the flour until it holds its shape when squeezed. This is what gives the pastry its flaky, blistered texture.
- Keep the dough stiff. A soft dough gives a pale, oily samosa rather than a crisp one.
- Cool the filling fully before shaping, or steam will soften the pastry from the inside.
- Fry on low to medium heat. If the oil is too hot, the outside browns while the pastry stays raw and doughy inside.
Substitutions
- Use whole wheat flour for half of the maida, but expect a denser pastry.
- Swap the peas for cooked chana or finely chopped boiled carrots.
- Use store-bought samosa patti sheets to save time, and bake or shallow fry them if you prefer.
- Replace amchur with lemon juice, or with a pinch of anardana powder.
Serve with
"Serve hot with imli (tamarind) chutney, green coriander-mint chutney and a pot of doodh patti chai. They also go well with chana chaat as a fuller iftar plate."
Storage
Keep cooled fried samosas in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Uncooked shaped samosas can be frozen on a tray, then bagged, for up to 1 month.
Reheating
Reheat on a rack in an oven at 180°C for 10 to 12 minutes until crisp and hot inside. Fry frozen samosas straight from the freezer on very low heat for about 18 minutes.
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Not shown for this recipe because it can’t be estimated reliably (for example, oil absorbed during deep frying varies a lot).
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