Samosa
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Heat
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Serves
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Dietary Info
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Prep 30 mins
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Cook 10 mins
A spicy filling of chunky potato and green peas with a bite of chilli encased in a crisp light pastry.
Hari says
Probably the most well known of all the Indian snacks – samosas are simply amazing and I love them. They're made of pastry, potato, peas and that's it - how three simple ingredients can taste so good is beyond me, but they are just amazing! For me this is a vegetable dish and although I have cooked meat samosas in my classes it's not something I usually do.
There are four key stages to making samosas:1. Making the filling
2. Making the pastry
3. Filling the samosa
4. Frying
My most significant memory of samosas is from my wedding where they were part of the festivities, right from all my aunties forming a production line in the kitchen gossiping, giggling and producing the amazing triangles parcels through to serving them for breakfast with a cup of hot, sweet chai – a combination that is out of this world.
You can't help eating them one after the other and I think we got through hundreds of them. My best friend Nicky and her husband Mark called me a few days after the wedding and asked me if I could pop over and make a few before we left for our honeymoon as they were having withdrawal symptoms - they're so addictive!
- Ingredients
- Method
Filling
- 1 tsp of rapeseed oil
- 4 potatoes boiled (skin on)
- 50g frozen peas
- ½ tsp of cumin seeds
- 1 tsp of salt
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- 2 chillies, finely chopped
- 1-2 tsp of garam masala
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp of fresh coriander, chopped
Paste
- 1 tbsp plain flour in a small bowl
- Splash of cold water
Pastry
- 200g plain flour
- 1½ tbsp rapeseed oil
- Pinch of salt
- Approx. 100ml water
Making the samosa
- Potato filling
- Pastry
- Paste
- Rapeseed oil for deep frying
Method
Filling
- Cook the potatoes gently with the skin on (do not boil too vigorously) for about 25 minutes until soft. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Once cooled peel the skin off with your fingers.
- Cut into small 1cm sized cubes and place in a large bowl.
- In a small frying pan heat the oil and fry the cumin seeds. When sizzling, carefully add the peas and fry gently for a few minutes to soften. Remove from the heat and leave to cool before adding to the potatoes.
- Add the grated ginger, salt, chilli, chilli powder, garam masala and fresh coriander to the potatoes and stir - check seasoning and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Paste
- Make some flour glue by adding water to the flour and mix into a thick sticky paste.
Pastry
- Place flour, oil and salt in a bowl and rub the mixture together.
- Using your hand begin to sprinkle in a little water at a time to bring the dough together.
- Continue to add the water in this way until the dough comes together. Using wet hands knead the dough until it is soft and no longer sticking to your hands or the bowl.
- Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Heat up a thava or frying pan on the lowest heat setting.
- Take a small tangerine-sized ball of the dough and roll it between your palms to make a smooth ball.
- Flatten and roll out with a rolling pin to create a thin round disc the size of a side plate, flouring when necessary. Place the disc on the tava for 4 seconds. Remove and place on a chopping board. Using a sharp knife slice the disc in half so you are left with 2 semi-circles.
Making the samosa
- Place one semi-circle on your hand with the flat edge at the top and the cooked side facing you. Dip your finger in the paste and spread it across the straight edge.
- Fold in the two corners so they meet in the middle ensuring one edge overlaps the other and press together to seal all the way down to create a smooth upside down cone.
- Turn the cone over so the pointed end is at the bottom. Using a spoon fill the cone with the potato filling to 2/3 of the way up.
- Seal the opening with the paste, creating a triangle pastry. Lie on the tray and pat down to even the filling out. Repeat with the remaining dough until all your samosa made made.
Cooking the samosa
- Heat the oil, test it's hot enough by dropping in a little bit of pastry – if it bubbles and floats to the top immediately then the oil is ready.
- Very carefully slip one samosa into the hot oil being careful that the hot oil doesn't splash out. Leave the samosa to cook for a few seconds. As the pastry begins to bubble turn it over using a slotted spoon.
- Leave it to cook gently until it turns a beautiful golden brown. Once it's cooked remove from the oil and set on some kitchen paper. As you become more confident, fry 2 or 3 samosas at the same time.
Served with
Serve hot! My children like samosas with tomato ketchup, but for me you can only have samosas with a tangy imlee chutney made with tamarind.
Nutritional information
| Typical values* | per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 143 |
| Fat (g) | 2.1 |
| of which saturates (g) | 0.2 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 29 |
| of which sugars (g) | 0.9 |
| Fibre (g) | 1.8 |
| Protein (g) | 3.8 |
| Salt (mg) | 0.71 |
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Comments
Comments (34)
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Hari Ghotra
Good luck - Can't wait to see what you think!
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Soudy
Hi Hari
I love this recipe. Can I freeze them before frying? Thanks-
Hari Ghotra
Yes you can - make sure they are not touching each other when you freeze them. once frozen you can put them into bags.
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John O'Donnell
We were seduced by your video and just had to try them! We had success first time, they were delicious (now have a batch in the freezer). We just added a little garlic and onion but otherwise stuck to your recipe and our success was testimony to your clear, easy to follow instructions and useful tips. Thank you so much - fish pakoras next, then who knows ?-
Hari Ghotra
Well done - good to know that the recipe worked out for you. If you take any pictures share them with me on my app. Thanks for your feedback Hari
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Marisa
Hi Hari,
Thank you for your samosa recipe. I found your recipe on youtube and after watching the video I wanted to give it a try. Your instructions were easy to follow! I added some other spices into the filling but other than that I followed the recipe exactly. It was so much fun to make and I can't wait to make them with family and friends (loved hearing the story about your family doing this for your wedding). Thank you again, I really never thought this would be something I'd try to make and now I am looking forward to the next time. Love from Florida!-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Marisa from Florida Thank you for your wonderful message - I am so happy to read that you gave the recipe a go and you loved it!! I am doing live cook alongs every Friday at 6.15pm BST. This Friday it will be a Chicken Tikka Masala so please join us. It would be lovely to say hello to you! Thanks so much fo watching the videos too. Thanks Hari
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Annelaine Nawaz
Hi Hari,
I made your Samosas yesterday for the first time. I have wanted to make Samosas for such a long time and they turned out to be delicious. However, Samosas are a lot harder to make than I thought. I struggled with getting a circle with the pastry ha ha. Like you said, there are lots of funny stories around making Samosas for the first time, I can relate to that. You said not to put too much filling in and I now no why. I am delighted with the results and I will keep trying to get them as good as yours, hopefully. Thanks again.
Annelaine -
Jeimy
Hi Hari,
I’ll be trying out a few of your recipes for Father’s Day! I’m really looking forward to it as they all seem mouth-wateringly delicious. Can I just ask how many samosas come out of this recipe?
Thank you for all of your videos, the dishes look amazing and your manner of instructing is easily understood. Keep up the great work!
Jeimy.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Jeimy you should get about 12- 15 from this recipe. So wonderful to hear that you are cooking these for fathers day. Please do take pictures and share them with me on the app https://hari.is/2P5rXbk Good luck Hari
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Sadia
Hi Hari,
Thank you for this recipe. I have used this recipe twice and the samosas are delicious. They are like punjabi style.
Sadia.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Sadia Yes they are Punjabi style samosas and I am glad you enjoy making them and eating them! Have you downloaded the app yet? I would love to see your pictures of the dishes - here is the link https://hari.is/2P5rXbk Thanks so much Hari
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Sarah
Hi Hari,
Last weekend I had an Indian dinner party and I used your recipes for everything I made. It was a big succes and I'm looking forward trying out new recipes. The only thing I wasn't totally happy with was the crunchiness of the samosas. After 5-10 minutes they aren't that crunchy anymore. What could it be? I deep fry them untill golden and they start to float.
Thanks and greetings from The Netherlands, Sarah
P.s. I love love love your imlee with dates.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Sarah good to hear that you had a delicious dinner party. This pasty is crisp when straight out the frier but not like a filo crunch. If you prefer it to be crisp then you could buy filo and fold the filling into triangles and use that instead. This is more of a classic punjabi pastry. I hope that helps. Thanks so much for sharing. Would be great to see pictures of your dishes so do post them in the all. Thanks Hari
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Miriam Husssin
like the way you make you somasas goin to try and make it. can normal vegetable oil be used or olive oil?-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Miriam Thanks so much. I would use veg oil. Hope that helps. Thanks Hari
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Claire
Hari, please could you give me a rough idea of the size of potatoes to use?
I'm looking forward to trying them.
Thanks
Claire-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Claire just go for medium sized potatoes they will cook more quickly than large ones. Do let me know how they turn out. Hari
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TT
Please inform me, what is "rapeseed" oil? I've never heard of it.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi rapeseed is a light veggie oil that is great with Indian food here are some more details for you http://www.harighotra.co.uk/cooking-guides/indian-cooking-ingredients/rapeseed-oil-facts Hope it helps Hari
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Pam Naidoo
Hello Hari
This recipe looks great. What's the idea behind cooking the circle of pastry on the tava before you fill it? And can the samosas be frozen uncooked or cooked?
Thanks!-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Pam you only just sear one side this helps it to keep its shape so it's easier to make the samosa. I would freeze uncooked but alway in a single layer with parchment in between layers so they don't stick together when defrosting. Hope that helps Hari
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Oscar
Hello Hari,
I have been enjoyed your site, cooked many of your dishes! Superb, thanks much! I did tried the samosa recipe and
although the filling was very tasty, my pastry ended up with lots of bubbles and not so crispy. Any idea what went wrong?
Your advice would be much appreciated! Thanks again!
Oscar-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Oscar Was your oil hot enough? The pastry should go bubbly but it should also be crisp as well. Test the oil - the samosa should sizzle and float and cook in about 3-4 minutes. Thanks Hari
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David
Hi Hari,
I Love your recipes.
Is it possible after filling the samosas, to put them in the fridge and fry them the day after or will they go soggy?
Thank you for your love you put in your work
David-
Hari Ghotra
Hi David Thank you for using the site it means a great deal to hear that you are loving the recipes. In answer to your question yes you can. Make them up and store them in a single layers with grease proof paper in between layers. Make sure they are not touching. Put them in an airtight container and put them somewhere cool overnight and they should be fine. let me know how you get on. Hope you have a very happy new year!
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Jodie
Hello Hari,
Was asking about the butter because when I was searching for samoosa's on yummly I found a recipe that has butter instead of oil. I have always used oil and when I read your recipe it also had oil. Will sure let you know how I get on. In the meantime what's the best recipe for chapattis? And how do i make my own curry paste. Store bought is ok but has this sour taste ( my own opinion ) i love Indian food.
Thank you in advance
Jodie-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Jodie Was the butter used in the pastry? Glad to hear you make up your own sauces they are so much better. Thanks Hari
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Jodie
Hi Hari,
I love Samosas. I do make them but not completely satisfied till I stumbled upon your recipe which I am definitely going to try. Question though; can I use butter instead of oil?
Thank you in advance
Jodie-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Jodie Thanks for joining the Hari Ghotra family - I hope you try out lots of the dishes because I'd love to hear how you get one with them. Where is it that you want to add the butter? You need oil in the pastry to make it more pliable and also they do need to be deep fried in oil too. Please let me know if I havent answered your question. Thanks and happy cooking Hari
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Dainelle
Hi Hari,
I was just wondering if you have a recipie for Chicken samosas? Also I had (what it think) was a Raita one time but is was quite spicy and delish. Do you also have something like this as well? :) -
Hari Ghotra
Hi Nic Yes you can use strips of filo pastry and then bake them in the oven. You can also buy samosa pastry from Indian grocery stores too. Hope that helps. -
Nicholas Young
Hi Hari!
Would it be possible to use store-bought pastry for this dish? If so, which type would you recommend? Thank you!
Christine
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