Crispy and Crunchy Vegetable Samosa / Vegetable stuffed Pastry

Samosa is a stuffed pastry and a popular snack. This is usually  in the shape of a triangle with a savory filling, which may include potatoes, green peas or ground meat. Size, shape and the filling can vary considerably. We can  make samosas in so many different ways. These are usually served with chutneys.

Samosas are always appetizing. This is a snack which is made very often at my home. I learnt this from my old cookery book, which has been my saviour for umpteen times.

Sometimes I make this with meat filling also. Initially, I didn’t get the triangle shape correctly. I used to make the dough into cone shape and stuff the filling but later on the whole cone came apart while frying. So this is my own method of making the samosas in perfect triangle shape.

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour / Maida- 2cups
2. Ajwain- 2tsp
3. Salt- as per taste
4. Water- as required
5. Dalda / Vanaspathi / Clarified butter (melted)- 2tbsp

For stuffing

1. Potatoes (boiled and mashed)- 3-4nos
2. Carrot (boiled and mashed)- 1no
3. Onions (chopped)- 1no (big)
4. Green chillies (chopped)- 3nos
5. Ginger and Garlic paste- 1tbsp
6. Turmeric powder- 1tsp
7. Red chilli powder- 1tsp
8. Coriander powder- 2tsp
9. Cumin powder- ½ tsp
10. Garam Masala powder- 1tsp
11. Oil- 1tbsp
12. Salt- as per taste
13. Coriander leaves (finely chopped)- 1tbsp

For sticking:

• Maida- 1tbsp
• Water- 1tbsp
• Mix maida and water to a paste and keep this aside.

Method:

1. Mix maida, salt, ajwain and clarified butter. Rub until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.
2. Add water and knead the dough till it is smooth just like chapati dough.
3. Cover it with a wet kitchen towel and keep it aside till the stuffing is prepared.

Method for the stuffing:

1. Heat oil in a wok and add the onions and green chillies. Stir fry till it turns golden brown in colour.
2. Add ginger and garlic paste and mix well. Add all the powders one by one and stir till everything is well blended.
3. At this stage add the boiled and mashed potatoes, carrots and salt.Mix well.
4. Add coriander leaves and cook on low heat for 3-4 min. Remove from fire.

Method for making samosa:

• Divide the dough into 10 equal balls. Roll each ball into flat round shape.

• Cut it into half. The half is again pressed with the rolling pin.

• Place a spoon full of the potato stuffing in the middle, just like shown in the pic.

• Cover the stuffing by bringing both the corners in the shape of a triangle. Stick the edges with maida and water mixture or else the stuffing will come out while frying.

• Repeat the same process for the remaining dough.

• Heat oil for deep frying and when it is hot, carefully drop in as many samosas as it fits. Fry slowly, turning the samosas until they are golden brown and crisp.
• Drain these samosas on a tissue paper and serve hot along with tomato ketchup, tamarind chutney and salted green chillies.

Salted Green chillies:

1. Take 4-5 green chillies and boil it in water along with salt for about 10min.
2. When the green chillies become soft take it out of boiling water and drain it on tissue paper.
3. Heat oil and fry these chillies for 5min.
4. After taking it out from oil squeeze a lemon on it and serve with samosa.