Monday, August 22, 2011

For the love of Samosas


I've always had a certain love for Indian food.  
In fact one of the most romantic dates I've had involved Indian food.  While I know that most people have a love/hate relationship with it...I have a certain affair with it.  
I love the warmth of the spices that fill my senses and the versatility of the spices.
So one day I just decided to make Samosas.


1 tbs ghee, 1 clove finely chopped garlic, 1 tsp finely chopped ginger, 2 medium finely chopped onions, 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tbs, lemon juice (or vinegar), 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tbs coriander.....

The recipe called for 2 tbs chopped fresh mint which I didn't bother with and I had decided to add

1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp cardemom.

The recipe also requested 250 grams of minced beef or lamb...I used about a pound of beef.



To make the filling, heat the ghee in a sauce pan and fry garlic, ginger and half the onion until onion is soft.  Add Curry powder, salt, vinegar/lemon, mix well.  Add minced beef/lamb and fry over high heat.  Stirring constantly until meat changes colour.  Turn heat down and add hot water.  Cover pan and cook until meat is tender and all the liquid is absorbed.

Towards the end of cooking, stir frequently to prevent meat from sticking to the base of the pan.  Sprinkle with garam masala and chopped mint/coriander, remove from heat and allow to cool.  Mix in reserved onion.  


For the dough, use 225 grams plain flour, 1 tsp salt, 3 tbs oil, 1 approx 100 ml hot water, 1 oil for frying.

To make the dough, sieve together the flour and the salt.  Rub in the oil.  Add enough water to form a stiff dough.  Knead for 10 minutes until smooth.

Divide into 12 balls.  Roll each ball into a round 15 cm/6" across.  Cut in half.

Pick up one half, flatten slightly, and form a cone, sealing the overlapping edge with a little water.  Fill the cone  with 1.5 tsp of the filling and seal the top with a little water.

Make all the samosas the same way.

Heat the oil in a Karahi (Wok) over medium heat.   Put as many samosas as you can into the hot oil and fry until crisp and golden.  Drain.  Serve with a chutney or your favourite chilli or tomato sauce.


Now, this is my first time working with samosa dough and I don't have the most delicate of fingers.  Needless to say this is how my first batch came out.....


So I went with a second bout with my second batch and went in an easier direction.  With won ton wrappers.  And this is how THESE came out.


Either way both came out good although very different from each other.
Would I make it again?  Sure.  I'm a huge fan of the filling.

I had adapted my recipe from here

My next adventure is supposed to be with curry.....I'll get to that eventually.

7 comments:

  1. I love samosa's.I discovered them when we moved here.I love Pacifica, a festival we have annualy here where people from Pacific Islands that live here introduce their food.I keep buying tasting and trying to make it at home.Great recepie..recommended;)

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  2. The festival sounds like a food lovers dream : ) I hope that when you make them that they are just as good!

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  3. Amy, your samosas (both of them) look lovely! I'm a huge fan of little meat pies - samosas, empanadas, pasties, pot pies, whatever. I just made little pasties for a tea party. I just started getting into making Indian food at home. So far I've just made chicken tikka masala - a *lot*, my husband could eat it every day! Think I'll make some potato samosas next.

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  4. Hi first time here :) The samosas look awesome great for a first try! I have some really easy yet delicious Indian recipes on my blog - so please stop by and hopefully I will join that elite list of inspiration that you have on the side bar :)))

    Cheers, priya

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  5. Jean - Thank you! I have yet to make Masala...I actually have plans to make a curry relatively soon. : )

    Priya - I will def stop by your blog. I'd love to learn more about Indian food.

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  6. Good attempt .. do visit
    http://keephappybelly.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete