Recipes

Cooking Time: 40 mins
Preparation Time: 40 mins, plus 1hr standing
Makes: 10-12

These traditional, savory, deep-fried pastries are filled with a spiced potato mixture and perfectly complemented by a squeeze of lemon juice. They are suitable for vegetarians.

COOKING TIP

When deep-frying the samosas, do not overcrowd the saucepan because you need room to turn them, Remove the cooked samosas with a slotted spoon to allow some of the oil to drain off.

INGREDIENTS

PASTRY

100 g/3 1/2 oz self-raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
40 g/1 1/2 oz butter, cut into small pieces
4 tbsp water

FILLING

3 potatoes
1 tsp finely chopped fresh root ginger
1 tsp crushed fresh garlic
1/2 tsp white cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mixed onion and mustard seeds
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red chillies
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 small fresh green chillies,
Finely chopped
Ghee or vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Lemon wedges, to serve

METHOD

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Pour in the water and mix with a fork to form dough. Pat the dough into a ball and knead for 5 minutes or until smooth. Add a little flour if the dough is sticky. Cover and leave to stand for 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, to make the filling, cook the potatoes in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 20-25 minutes, until tender. Drain and gently mash the potatoes, then add the ginger, garlic, white cumin seeds, onion and mustard seeds, salt, crushed red chillies, lemon juice and green chillies and stir well to mix.

3. Break small balls off the dough and roll each out very thinly to form a round. Cut in half, dampen the edges and form into cones. Fill the cones with a little of the filling, dampen the open edges and pinch together to seal, Reserve.

4. Fill a deep-fat fryer or large, heavy-based saucepan one-third full with vegetable oil and heat to 180-190°c/350-375°F, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Carefully lower the samosas into the hot oil, in batches, and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain thoroughly on kitchen paper. Serve hot or cold with lemon wedges.

VARIATION

Substitute the green chillies with 2 red chillies, and if you don’t like it too spicy, deseed the chillies before using.

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