Afghani Samboosak Meat Pie Recipes

SAMBOSAS (AFGHAN MEAT TURNOVER)

Steps:

• Brown ground beef in a non-stick pan, seasoning with salt and pepper. When its just cooked through, drain on paper towels to dispose of excess grease. Return beef to pan, along with enough drained oil so it's moist, add the cardamom, cayenne, crushed/chopped garlic and the finely chopped onion. Cook until the onion & garlic is softened and spice is fragrant. Remove from heat and cool.
• To form the sambosas, take about a tablespoon (if using the small wontons, more if using the egg roll size), not too much, ensuing that you can fold the wonton over into a triangle without the filling falling out. Brush one side of the wonton with water at the edge to make a tight seal, using either your fingers or tines of a fork to do this. Make all the sambosas and keep on a sheet covered with paper towels to prevent sticking. You can do all this ahead of time and store covered with Plastic Wrap in the fridge till ready to cook.
• When ready to finish the sambosas, put a nonstick pan or pot onto med/high heat and add enough oil for shallow frying, about half to 3/4 an inch of oil should do it. Shallow fry in batches till golden brown, and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve, best when hot but are good at room temp too. I serve them with my family's chilled yogurt sauce(see other recipe). Not healthy but delicious, even my southern wife and family loves them!
• Enjoy!

SAMBOUSEK

Steps:

• For the dough: Put the flour in a mixer and then add the sugar, salt, yeast and oil. Let mix for 3 to 5 minutes. Then start adding the cold water slowly until it forms a big ball (add more flour if the dough is thin/ loose). Let mix for 15 more minutes. Then let the dough rest for 15 minutes. Turn the mixer back on and mix the dough for 15 more minutes, and then let rest for 15 more minutes. Put the dough in a pan and cover the top lightly with canola oil and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Then put in the refrigerator and let rest overnight.
• Form 7-ounce balls with the dough and roll lightly with flour. Put them in a proof box at room temperature for 2 hours after you roll it. Place the balls side by side and put a cover on it that is very tight so no air is let in, otherwise it will get dry.
• For the meat: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the onions in 4 tablespoons of the butter until they are golden brown. Then add in all the allspice, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Then add the meat and continue to stir to avoid clumps. Cook the meat for 15 to 20 minutes.
• In another pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until hot. Add the pine nuts and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes, stirring so the pine nuts do not burn.
• After the pine nuts are cooked, pour on top of the cooked meat. Let the meat cool off at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Take the dough balls and flatten them into a plate shape less than 1/2-inch thick. Use a round shaped cup to cut out 4 dough pieces. Then take 4 tablespoons of the meat mixture and put inside the dough. Fold in half and pinch the dough together.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or large pot until it is very hot. Fry until golden, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

AFGHANI SAMBOOSAK (MEAT PIE)

Steps:

• Saute the onions and leek in the oil until transparent. Add the meat, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until done, breaking up lumps.
• Add the cumin and the chopped egg whites and mix well.
• Cut each spring roll skin into 3 strips of equal width (If the dough is not precisely square, use the slightly larger dimension for the length of the strip.) Lay out 3 to 4 strips on your work surface.
• Place a rounded tsp of the meat mixture toward the bottom right hand corner of each strip. Fold that corner diagonally over to the top left-hand corner, forming a triangle. As you fold, be certain that the side of the strip lines up perfectly with the folded portion. Continue as if folding a flag, alternately folding the bottom corners in a diagonal pattern. Seal the final flap with a bit of the flour paste.
• Deep-fry in small batches until golden brown (about 3-5 minutes) and drain on paper towels.