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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Ready for baking at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. |
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
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| Previous finished product made in Sooke, BC. Enjoy with sweet chili sauce, chutney or mint sauce. |
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.
