Samoosa (Small Savory Pastries)
Recipe By : The Complete Asian Cookbook
Serving Size : 32
PASTRY
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil or ghee (clarified butter)
- 1/2 cup warm water
FILLING
- 1 tablespoon oil or ghee
- 1 clove garlic -- finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root -- finely chopped
- 2 medium onions -- finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
- 8 oz steak or lamb -- minced
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint or coriander leaves -- chopped
- oil for frying
Pastry: Sift flour and salt into a bowl, add oil and warm water
and mix thoroughly, until ingredients are combined. (Add a little
more water if necessary to combine ingredients.) Knead for about
10 minutes or until dough is elastic. Cover with plastic wrap
and set aside while preparing filling.
Filling: Heat oil in a saucepan and fry garlic, ginger and half
the onion until onion is soft. Add curry powder, salt and vinegar,
mix well. Add minced steak and fry over a high heat, stirring
constantly until meat changes color. Turn heat down and add hot
water. Cover pan and cook until meat is tender and all the liquid
has been absorbed. Towards end of cooking, stir frequently to
prevent meat from sticking to base of pan. Sprinkle with garam
masala and chopped mint or coriander, remove from heat and allow
to cool. Mix in reserved chopped onion.
Take small pieces of dough, shape into balls and on a lightly
floured board roll each one thinly to a circle, the size of a
saucer. Cut each circle in half. put a teaspoon of filling on
one side of each half circle and brush edges with water. Fold
dough over and press edges together firmly. You will now have
triangular shaped samoosas.
When they are all made, heat oil in a deep pan and deep fry a
few at a time until golden brown on both sides. Drain on absorbent
paper and serve hot.
NOTE: Both samoosa and singara can be made using spring roll wrappers.
Cut into 2 1/2 inch strips the length of the pastry. Put a teaspoon
of filling at one end and fold the pastry over diagonally, then
fold again and again, still keeping a triangular shape. Moisten
end of strip with water or beaten egg and press lightly.