Samosa is a very popular street food in India known for its traditional potato and peas filling. But can be made with any stuffing. These are usually served with some green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney.
It has always been my dream to make my own Samosa. My love for this pastry started when I spent my childhood growing up in Uttar Pradesh. Being young, I was not as much of a foodie, but always enjoyed samosas for snacks.
When we returned back to Chennai, we had a samosa wala who had a cart just outside our apartment and he made hot samosas and jalebi every evening.
On my way home, I would stand in front of his cart for a few minutes adoring his flawless skill of making the samosa and shaping the Jalebi. At least 2 or 3 times a week, I would bring a home a couple of Samosas and jalebi to enjoy with mom.
Back in the US, all the Indian stores carry fresh samosa, but they just are not the same as the ones that I ate from the samosa wala back in Chennai. I guess making it in front of our eyes is magic.
When I was thinking of street foods for this month's BM, I right away marked Samosa for the alphabet S. My mother would have been very proud of the Samosas I made.
They came out so well for the first time and it definitely built my confidence to make it often. The flavor of homemade samosas is amazing and definitely much better than the store-bought ones.
It is not as hard as I anticipated. Just a little planning and a little time to shape . Also, the frying has to be done in medium flame and not rushed for that perfect, flaky texture of the Samosa. I made the traditional filling with potatoes and peas. Once comfortable, the shaping becomes much easier and faster.
I served the samosa with some green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney. Also, my son recorded a video of my Samosa shaping and edited it for ease. Pass on your comments on the video and whether it was useful to help shape the samosas.
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Preparation time - 15 minutes plus 30 minutes resting time
Cooking time - 60 minutes
Difficulty level - Intermediate
Ingredients to make Samosa - Makes around 20 medium ones
To make the Outer crust/dough -
- Maida / All Purpose flour - 2 cups
- Ghee / clarified butter (melted) - 4 tablespoon (oil can be substituted to make vegan samosa)
- Carom seeds / Ajwain - 1 tsp
- Salt - to taste
- Water - as needed to make the dough
To Make the Potato and Peas filling -
- Potato - 3 (boiled, peeled, and mashed)
- Green peas - ½ cup (cooked or frozen)
- Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
- Fennel seeds - ½ tsp
- Ginger paste - 1 tsp
- Green chilies - 2
- Red chili powder - 1 tsp
- Coriander powder - ½ tsp
- Garam masala - ½ tsp
- Amchur powder - 2 tsp
- Chaat Masala - 1 tsp
- Asafetida - ¼ tsp
- Salt - to taste
- Oil - 2 tbsp
Procedure to make Samosa -
To make the Outer crust/dough -
- In a wide bowl, add the flour, salt, ajwain, and melted ghee. Using your hands, rub the ghee and the flour together for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Make sure that you take time to mix the ghee into the flour well. This ensures that the samosa cover is flaky and crispy.
- Once the ghee and the flour are mixed well, you can form a ball when pressed together and that will crumble upon breaking (refer to the picture).
- Now slowly add water and form a soft dough. Knead the dough for 4 to 5 minutes and cover it with a cloth and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
To Make the Potato and Peas filling -
- Dry roast the coriander seeds and the fennel seeds for about 30 seconds and let it cool down. Coarsely grind it and keep it aside. You could also use a mortar and pestle to coarsely powder the seeds.
- Cook the potatoes and peel them. Mash the potatoes leaving a few chunks in them. I like a little bite when I eat the samosas and hence do not completely mash the potatoes.
- In a pan, heat the oil and add the grated ginger and green chilies. You could make a paste with chilies and ginger, but I just used finely chopped green chilies.
- Next, add the green peas and let them soften a bit. I used frozen peas and let them cook for 5 minutes.
- Now add the crushed coriander and fennel seeds and fry for a minute.
- Add the rest of the dry spices; red chili powder, coriander powder, amchur powder, chaat masala, and garam masala along with salt. Mix well and let it fry for a minute.
- Add the mashed potato and mix well. Let the potatoes cook along with the spices for 5 minutes on low heat.
- The stuffing is ready now. Let it cool down to room temperature before shaping the samosas.
To Shape and Fry the Samosa -
- Once the dough has rested, divide it into 10 pieces and make a smooth ball.
- Rub oil liberally on the rolling pin and on the surface and roll the dough ball into a roughly 8-inch oval.
- Cut the oval into two halves using a sharp knife.
- Make a cone with one half, sealing the edges with water. Refer to the video and picture for shaping.
- Fill the cone with a tablespoon of filling and seal the top as well with water.
- Shape all the samosas and also heat oil for deep frying.
- Once the oil heats up, reduce the heat to medium and gently slide two shaped samosas into the hot oil. Constantly rotate the samosa and let it evenly brown on all sides. Make sure that you fry the samosa on low to medium heat. In high heat, the crust will not evenly cook and also will not be flaky.
- Drain the samosas on a paper towel-lined tray and serve hot with green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney.
More Street Foods
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Recipe
Samosa | Potato and Peas filled Savory Pastry
Equipment
- Wide Bowl
- pan
- Heavy bottom pan For boiling Oil
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
To make the Outer crust / dough -
- 2 cups Maida / All Purpose flour
- 4 tablespoon Ghee / clarified butter melted - 4 tablespoon (oil can be substituted to make vegan samosa)
- 1 teaspoon Carom seeds / Ajwain
- Salt to taste
- Water as needed to make dough
To Make the Potato and Peas filling -
- 3 Potato boiled, peeled and mashed
- ½ cup Green peas cooked or frozen
- 1 teaspoon Coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon Fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon Ginger paste
- 2 Green chilies
- 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- 2 teaspoon Amchur powder
- 1 teaspoon Chaat Masala
- ¼ teaspoon Asafetida
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon Oil
Instructions
To make the Outer crust / dough -
- In a wide bowl, add the flour, salt, ajwain and the melted ghee. Using your hands, rub the ghee and the flour together for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Make sure that you take time to mix the ghee into the flour well. This ensures that the samosa cover is flaky and crispy.
- Once the ghee and the flour are mixed well, you can form a ball when pressed together and that will crumble upon breaking (refer to the picture).
- Now slowly add water and form a soft dough. Knead the dough for 4 to 5 minutes and cover it with a cloth and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
To Make the Potato and Peas filling -
- Dry roast the coriander seeds and the fennel seeds for about 30 seconds and let it cool down. Coarsely grind it and keep it aside. You could also use a mortar and pestle to coarsely powder the seeds.
- Cook the potatoes and peel it. Mash the potatoes leaving a little bit of chunks in it. I like a little bite when I eat the samosas and hence do not completely mash the potatoes.
- In a pan, heat the oil and add the grated ginger and green chilies. You could make a paste with chilies and ginger, but I just used finely chopped green chilies.
- Next add the green peas and let it soften a bit. I used frozen peas and let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Now add the crushed coriander and fennel seeds and fry for a minute.
- Add the rest of the dry spices; red chili powder, coriander powder, amchur powder, chaat masala and garam masala along with salt. Mix well and let it fry for a minute.
- Add the mashed potato and mix well. Let the potatoes cook along with the spices for 5 minutes in low heat.
- The stuffing is ready now. Let it cool down to room temperature before shaping the samosas.
To Shape and Fry the Samosas -
- Once the dough has rested, divide it into 10 pieces and make a smooth ball.
- Rub oil liberally on the rolling pin and on the surface and roll the dough ball into a roughly 8 inch oval.
- Cut the oval into two halves using a sharp knife.
- Make a cone with one of the half, sealing the edges with water. Refer to the video and picture for shaping.
- Fill the cone with a tablespoon of filling and seal the top as well with water.
- Shape all the samosas and also heat oil for deep frying.
- Once the oil heats up, reduce the heat to medium and gently slide two shaped samosas into hot oil. Constantly rotate the samosa and let it evenly brown on all the sides. Make sure that you fry the samosa in low to medium heat. In high heat, the crust will not evenly cook and also will not be flaky.
- Drain the samosas on a paper towel lined tray and serve hot with green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney.
Annabelle says
I haven’t made them yet and am looking forward to it. The video was great but I had to slow it down to half speed to see what was going on. I later saw the photos, very helpful in conjunction with the video. Thank you.
Mahy Elamin says
This recipe was my first successful samosa experience. The dough was perfect and the instructions were easy to follow. The samosas, of course, were FANTASTIC.
Jagruti Dhanecha says
Not only you but I bet every Indian girl's dream to make perfect samosa at home, it is a tedious job but you have nailed it! They look so delicious, wish I was your neighbour 🙂
Jo says
Weekend evenings deserves some delicious snacks to munch on. And what could be better than samosa. Perfect for my tea time snack and i loove the filling.
Uma Srinivas says
Samosa looks very delicious and crispy. My one of favorite snack and my kids are also enjoying them while I am making it!
Emmeline says
I love samosas and had them almost every day when I lived in Singapore! Oh how I miss all the campus food stalls... But never made them myself. Now thanks to your recipe I might actually dare try my hands at it - thank you!
Priya Srinivasan says
now i definitely have to make samosas tomorrow!! you guys are totally tempting me with your yumm samosas!!! potato and peas filling, a classic samosa filling, nothing can beat a big and hearty bite of a samosa!!! you have got perfect ones sandhya!
Padmajha PJ says
Samosas have turned out really well Sandhya. And your son has done a good job with the video.
sapana says
Your first-time samosa came out so perfect aSandhya and now there is no stopping and you will make more. Love the cute video that your kiddo helped you to make.
Manjula Bharath says
wow such an addictive samosa and you make them so perfect sandhya .. Looks fabulous, I am craving some samosa now . Your son is so smart and how sweet of him to video the behind the scene ..
Pavani says
Your samosa look just perfect -- good job Sandhya. Samosa are such an addictive snack, especially with that tamarind sauce.
Mayuri Patel says
The samosas have come out so well, they are cute.Am sure your mum would have been so proud of you. Your son has done a good job taking the video.
Srivalli says
You have surely made them so well and nobody would say its your first time Sandhya! You son has done a great job in recording it, kids are so smart and so helpful right...I love samosa and I think I can have some right now!
Gayathri Kumar says
I couldn't believe that you are making samosas for the first time. They have turned out awesome and I am sure your mom would be proud. Nice video by your kiddo..
Scarlet says
I love samosas but I have never tried making them. I need to give your recipe a try. It looks so good!!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Thanks a lot! This was my first time as well and was so much fun. Will be making it quite often now 🙂
Priya Suresh says
Wow, i feel like munching some rite now, samosas looks extremely addictive and prefect for evening snacks. Wonderful job Sandhya, you got them prefectly;
Sandhiya ThirumalaiKumar says
Samosa turned out so good,Sandhya. Your son did a great job in making and editing the videos. Love the flavors you have used in the samosa,wish i could grab few from the screen 🙂
kalyani says
so perfectly made, Sandhya ! I loved that cute video. although I don't make samosas as much as the kids love it, I had the same inhibition like u before making it for the first time. Potato and peas are such a classic combo, and I particularly loved the addition of crushed coriander seeds as I used it both in my samosa as well as aloo parathas 🙂
Lakshmi says
Super very well done and captured for those trying for the first time
Sharmila Kingsly says
Such cute helpers you have got.. Samosa had come out very well and im sure your helpers have enjoyed after shooting and clicking!!
Vaishali says
Samosas for the first time ! Wow ! Amazing !! Sandhya Samosas at the vendors in North are a treat by itself , these guys are so quick that I toh just keep gazing , ha ha !
Well these samosas are tempting me right in the morning and after this comment I shall remove some home made ones from my freezer , really they are my weakness .
The kids are smart these days and have done a wonderful job with the video . Hugs to them and big hug to you too .. your first samosas :))
And yes your mom would definitely be blessing you , their loves do blessings are always with us .
harini says
Great job, Sandhya. I also never skip adding the coarsely ground coriander seeds.
Srividhya Gopalakrishnan says
Samosas have come out really well Sandhya. Glad you made it and I am sure your mom will be definitely proud of you. Great video and your kiddos are great at shooting them. Hugs to the little helpers.