January 21, 2015

Making Baked Samosas

Samosa dough with piles of spiced potato/pea/onion filling waiting for the next stage - sealing.

I've never met a samosa I didn't like. I can't get enough of these spicy global good food ambassadors.

Samosas are a popular (usually vegetarian) appetizer or snack in many areas of the world. These spicy fried or baked pastries are part of the local cuisines of India, Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Mediterranean, and Africa.

They can also be found in most other parts of the world now. But not, apparently, Nova Scotia. While on the road this summer we lived on store-bought samosas for the first part of our trip. When we hit the Maritimes the tasty snack disappeared from grocery store delis.


Edges are watered, squeezed, then crimped with a fork.


When I asked in my local grocery store the clerk did not know what a samosa was. Which is ok, I guess, because making baked samosas is a pretty straight forward process. And considering a store-bought samosa can cost from $1.50 to $3.00 each, it saves money as well.


And a baked samosa is healthier and less messy than its fried counterpart. They are good hot or cold, and can be frozen for a quick, yummy snack later.



Ready for baking at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
Veggie Samosa Ingredients

Makes 10-12 pastries

For the dough:

2 cups of flour

3 heaping tablespoons of plain yogurt

3 tablespoons of oil

¾ teaspoon of salt

6-8 tablespoons of cold water



For the filling:

4 - 5 medium potatoes, diced and boiled

2 tablespoons of coriander seed

½ of a medium-sized onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of oil

½ teaspoon of turmeric

½ teaspoon of curry powder and/or garam masala

¾ teaspoon of salt

1 cup of frozen peas


Previous finished product made in Sooke, BC. Enjoy with sweet chili sauce, chutney
or mint sauce.

Make the samosa dough: 

In a large bowl, mix 2 cups of flour and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Mix in oil. Add yogurt and lightly mix. Add enough cold water to make a stiff dough.

Knead the dough in the bowl until it is soft and smooth; cover and let rest while you make the filling.

Make the samosa filling: 

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add coriander seeds and brown for 30 seconds, then add the onion and sauté, until soft. Add the turmeric, curry powder and salt and cook for another minute. Add the potato and cook the whole mixture for a few minutes more to incorporate the spices. Add 1 cup of frozen peas at the end; remove from heat and let cool.


Assemble the samosas: 

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough until 1/8” thick. A yogurt tub lid is the right size to stamp out rounds of pastry. Re-roll and re-stamp any scraps until you have 10 rounds of pastry.

Place 2 heaping tablespoons of filling into the middle of each round (don’t worry if it seems too much, as the dough will stretch). Use a fingertip to smooth water on the edges of each pastry before pulling the dough around the filling and pinching closed.

Turn the samosa on its side and, using a fork, seal the edge.

Bake the samosas: 

Preheat your oven to 375°. Put the samosas edge up on a lightly grease cookie sheet and bake for 25 minute until lightly browned. Let cool on a rack for 20 minutes.

Eat the samosas.

These healthy snacks are good anywhere you happen to be in the world. Share if you have any left.

10 comments:

  1. Mmmmm...thank you! I love samosas, but can definitely do without all the oil.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Charlotte,

      We also stay away from fried foods as much as possible. We think the baked samosas taste just as good.

      Delete
  2. Well, I read this post this morning, and made the samosas straightway for dinner later today. However, I diced the potatoes and onions, boiled them in small amount of water together and then threw in the peas for the last few minutes, then stirred in the spices after draining. I just wanted to use one pot. Tastes delicious and the pastry is lovely and soft. Can't wait to eat them later. Thanks so much for sharing this. Your baked bean recipe was also delicious.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jess,

      Alright! There is no better time than NOW. I love the modifications you made. You can also add a handful of lentils for a bit of protein. I like to make one-pot meals for easy clean up after.

      Hope you enjoy your home-made samosas.

      Delete
    2. We had dhal on the side ;)

      Delete
    3. Jess,

      Samosas are perfect with dhal on the side. We had ours with dhal and brown rice, and even splurged on a mango to go with it all. Yum. It makes me feel like I am in India again.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous1/21/2015

    I've never heard of samosas, but they look yummy! I'll have to give these a try.

    Yesterday was my birthday and I had my annual dish of poutine (or our version here). Something I'm sure you've heard of in Nova Scotia. Once a year is enough.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Gregg,

    thanks for the recipe, it is simpler than I thought it would be. I can feel a curry night coming on!

    Madeleine.x

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous1/23/2015

    Nice! Those look really good. I love puttering around the kitchen working on a project like that.

    I have a fried version that I really like, I will give the baked ones a try. I love the spicy potato/pea combo. I add crunchy mustard seed to the mix as well. If you see blocks of dried tamarind around, pick one up - simple tamarind chutney is so good with samosas. Trying foods from different cultures is a great way to find economic, tasty, plant based recipes. Usually things you can put together from a well-stocked pantry as well. I steamed a big pot of Mexican Tamales a couple weekends ago - stuffed with black beans, roasted chilies, cilantro, and pico de gallo.

    I will be adding this recipe to my little notebook of simple, frugal, mostly vegan, earth friendly recipes. Thanks for sharing.

    Cheers,
    Jake

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous1/25/2015

    WOW these look great.Have you tried them with a different pastry shell?
    I still live in BC.
    Duncan has a big East Indian population.
    Awesome food.
    barb

    ReplyDelete

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