Samosa Recipe (Punjabi Potato Samosa)

Method26 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: For this boiled-potato (500 g) route, peel and halve the 500 g potatoes. Cover with separate boiling water and cook until fork-tender but not mushy. Drain, discard the water and cool the potatoes.

   Uses 500 g potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and halved · Water to boil the potatoes; drain and discard

2. 2

   Step 2: Crumble the cooked potatoes into small pieces without mashing them; set aside.

   Uses drained cooled cooked potatoes

3. 3

   Step 3: Combine the 250 g flour, ¾ tsp carom seeds, ¾ tsp dough salt and 60 ml dough oil or melted ghee in a bowl.

   Uses 250 g all-purpose flour (2 cups) · ¾ tsp carom seeds (ajwain) · ¾ tsp dough salt · 60 ml oil or melted ghee for dough (¼ cup)

4. 4

   Step 4: Rub the flour and fat together between your fingers or palms for 3–4 minutes until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

   Uses flour mixed with carom, dough salt and fat

5. 5

   Step 5: Squeeze a handful of the flour mixture: it should hold its shape without crumbling, showing the fat is well incorporated.

   Uses breadcrumb-textured flour and fat

6. 6

   Step 6: Gradually add water from the 6 tbsp supply, beginning with 4 tbsp and adding from the remaining 2 tbsp only as needed. Form a firm, slightly stiff yet pliable dough; it should not be as soft as roti dough. Cover and rest for 25–30 minutes. Make the filling during this rest.

   Rest Dough · 30 minUses tested flour and fat mixture · Up to 6 tbsp dough water, added gradually

7. 7

   Step 7: Heat the 1 tbsp filling oil or ghee in a pan and add ¾ tsp cumin seeds.

   Uses 1 tbsp oil or ghee for filling · ¾ tsp cumin seeds

8. 8

   Step 8: When the cumin sizzles, add 1 tbsp ginger and the optional 1–2 chopped green chilies. Fry for 30–60 seconds until the ginger smells aromatic, then add the optional pinch of asafoetida (1).

   Uses sizzling cumin in filling fat · 1 tbsp minced ginger or ginger paste · 1–2 optional chopped green chilies · 1 optional pinch asafoetida

9. 9

   Step 9: Stir in the ½ cup boiled or frozen peas and sauté for 2 minutes.

   Uses ginger-chili filling aromatics · ½ cup green peas, boiled or frozen

10. 10

    Step 10: Add ¾ tsp chili powder, ¾–1 tsp garam masala, ½ tsp cumin powder and optional ½ tsp fennel powder. For a powdered souring option, add either ½ tsp amchur OR ½ tsp chaat masala now; leave both out if choosing lemon juice later. Sauté for 30 seconds.

    Uses peas sautéed with filling aromatics · ¾ tsp red chili powder · ¾–1 tsp garam masala · ½ tsp cumin powder · ½ tsp optional fennel powder · ½ tsp amchur powder, instead of lemon juice or chaat masala · ½ tsp chaat masala, instead of lemon juice or amchur

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    Step 11: Stir in the crumbled potatoes from step 2 and ½ tsp filling salt. Sauté for 2–3 minutes to blend with the spices, then mix in 4 tbsp coriander leaves. Set aside to cool.

    Uses spiced pea filling · crumbled cooked potatoes · ½ tsp initial filling salt · 4 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

12. 12

    Step 12: Taste the cooled filling and add extra salt only if needed. If choosing lemon instead of amchur or chaat masala, mix in 1 tsp lemon juice now. Divide the filling into 10 portions.

    Uses cooled potato and pea filling · Extra salt only after tasting cooled filling · 1 tsp lemon juice, only instead of amchur or chaat masala

13. 13

    Step 13: After the 25–30 minute rest, knead the dough gently for 3–4 minutes until a little smoother but still firm. Divide into 5 balls and keep them covered.

    Uses rested firm samosa dough

14. 14

    Step 14: Lightly grease the rolling surface with separate rolling oil. Take one of the 5 dough balls, flatten it and drizzle with a few drops of oil.

    Uses One of 5 dough balls · Oil to grease rolling surface and dough, as needed

15. 15

    Step 15: Roll the flattened ball into an even oval about 8½ inches long by 6½ inches wide, neither too thin nor too thick.

    Uses flattened greased dough ball

16. 16

    Step 16: Cut the oval into 2 semicircles. Each half makes one samosa; roll any overly thick edges a little thinner.

    Uses rolled dough oval

17. 17

    Step 17: Wet the straight cut edge of one semicircle with sealing water. Join the edges into a cone and press the seam from inside to seal. If water alone will not stick, make a paste with the extra 2 tbsp flour and a little sealing water and smear a little on the seam.

    Uses One of the 2 cut semicircles · Water for sealing edges and optional seam paste, as needed · 2 tbsp extra flour for optional sealing paste

18. 18

    Step 18: Add one of the 10 cooled filling portions to the cone and press down gently. Wet the remaining open edges with sealing water.

    Uses sealed empty pastry cone · One of 10 cooled filling portions · Water for sealing edges and optional seam paste, as needed

19. 19

    Step 19: Bring the open edges together and pinch firmly to seal. For a standing samosa, fold a pleat on one side, bring it over and pinch it closed.

    Uses filled cone with moistened edges

20. 20

    Step 20: Check the samosa is completely sealed and cover it with a cloth to prevent drying. Repeat shaping with the remaining dough halves and filling. Once at least 5 samosas are shaped, begin frying; keep all shaped samosas and unused dough covered.

    Uses sealed shaped samosa · The remaining semicircle from the first dough oval · Additional unused dough balls as needed for the first batch · Additional unused filling portions as needed for the first batch

21. 21

    Step 21: Heat the separate deep-frying oil in a pan, using enough for the pan and batch, until moderately hot.

    Uses Separate oil for deep-frying, enough for pan and batch

22. 22

    Step 22: Test with a small piece of the dough: it should show tiny bubbles and rise slowly. If it sizzles strongly, rises immediately or turns golden at once, let the oil cool slightly before adding samosas.

    Uses moderately heated deep-frying oil · A small piece of the same samosa dough

23. 23

    Step 23: Gently lower a batch of the shaped samosas into the tested oil without crowding. Fry undisturbed over low heat for 10–12 minutes until the crust sets.

    Fry Samosas Low · 12 minUses oil tested at the proper frying heat · Only as many shaped samosas as fit this batch; reserve the rest

24. 24

    Step 24: Once the crust is firm, raise the heat to medium. Turn the samosas and continue frying until crisp and golden.

    Uses samosa batch with set crust in frying oil

25. 25

    Step 25: While the first batch fries, finish shaping any remaining dough and filling as in steps 14–20. Drain the golden samosas on a wire rack or in a steel colander. Let the frying oil cool slightly and test its heat again before frying each remaining batch as in steps 22–24.

    Uses golden crisp samosa batch · Unused dough only if shaping remains · Unused cooled filling only if shaping remains

26. 26

    Step 26: Serve the drained samosas with optional ready mint chutney, sweet tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup.

    Uses drained fried samosas · Ready-made mint chutney to serve, as desired · Ready-made sweet tamarind chutney to serve, as desired · Ready tomato ketchup to serve, as desired