Samosas Moosewood Recipes

SAMOSA RECIPE | PUNJABI SAMOSA | ALOO SAMOSA

Steps:

• Take the flour, carom seeds, salt in a bowl. Mix well and add ghee.
• With your fingertips rub the ghee or oil in the flour to get a breadcrumb like consistency.
• The whole mixture should clump together when joined and not fall apart.
• Add water in parts and knead to a firm dough.
• If the dough looks dry or floury, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water and knead.
• Cover the dough with a moistened napkin and set aside for 30 minutes.
• Steam or boil the potatoes and peas till are cooked completely. Drain them of any extra water in a colander or sieve.
• Peel the boiled potatoes and chop them into small cubes
• Dry roast all the whole spices mentioned in the above list until fragrant taking care not to burn them.
• When the spices are warm or cool at room temperature, grind them in a dry grinder or coffee grinder to a semi-fine or fine powder.
• Heat oil in a pan. add the cumin seeds and crackle them.
• Add the ginger and green chillies. Sauté for a few seconds until the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
• Add the steamed green peas, red chili powder, the freshly ground spice powder, dry mango powder and asafoetida.
• Stir and sauté on a low heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the potato cubes. Mix very well and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes on low heat with frequent stirring.
• Set aside the potato filling aside to cool at room temperature.
• After resting the dough for 30 minutes, divide the dough in 6 equal pieces.
• Take each piece and roll in your palms first to make a smooth ball.
• Then roll it with a rolling pin keeping the thickness to 1 mm throughout.
• Cut with a knife or a pastry cutter through the center of the rolled samosa pastry.
• With a brush or with your finger tips, spread some water all over the edges.
• Join the two straight ends forming a cone shape.
• Press the edges so that they get sealed well.
• Stuff the prepared samosa cone with the prepared potato-peas stuffing.
• Pinch a part on the edge (check the video & photos). This helps the samosa to stand once it is shaped.
• Press both the edges. Be sure there are no cracks.
• Prepare all the samosa this way and keep covered with a moist kitchen napkin.
• Now heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. Once the oil becomes hot (test by adding a small piece of dough - it should come up quickly once added to the hot oil). Gently slide the prepared stuffed samosa & quickly reduce the flame to low.
• Turn over in between and fry until golden. Drain the fried samosa on paper towels to remove excess oil.
• Fry them in batches. For frying the second batch, again increase the temperature of the oil to medium-heat. Do not overcrowd the pan while frying.
• Add the samosa and then lower the flame, thereby decreasing the temperature of oil.
• This way fry all the samosa in batches.
• Serve samosa hot or warm with coriander chutney, tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup.
• They can also be served with a yogurt dip or plain raita. Another way is to serve it with chana masala (chickpea curry).
• We usually pair samosa with masala chai or ginger chai.
• Even bread or pav (Indian bread rolls) can be served with it.
• Whatever you serve samosa with, remember to have hot masala chai with it.

SAMOSAS (MOOSEWOOD)

Steps:

• Filling:.
• Heat butter in heavy skillet.
• Add garlic, ginger, onion, salt and mustard seeds.
• Saute 6-8 minutes, or till onion is soft and clear.
• Combine all ingredients, except peas, and mix well.
• Fold in peas last, taking care not to smash them.
• Pastry:.
• Sift together flour and salt.
• Add melted butter, yogurt and enough water to make a stiff dough.
• Knead till smooth and elastic.
• Roll out very thin (1/4 inch) on a floured board and cut into 4 inch circles.
• Keep rolling and cutting till you've used all the dough.
• Place a Tablespoon of filling (approximately) in the center of each circle, leaving edges free.
• Brush edges with a little water, fold over and seal by pressing with a fork.
• Heat a 3-inch pool of oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut oil) in a heavy skillet to about 365 degrees.
• Make sure the oil is hot enough (it should bounce a drop of water on contact).
• Fry samosas till golden.
• Drain well and serve. Excellent with chutneys and raitas.

SAMOSAS

Steps:

• Dough 1) Place the flour in a medium-sized bowl. Mix in the salt. 2) Make a well in the center, and add the buttermilk or yogurt. Mix first with a spoon and then with your hand, to make a smooth dough. 3) Add extra flour, as needed, to keep the dough from being sticky. The dough will be quite soft. knead in the bowl for about 5 minutes. Cover tightly and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the pastries.
• Filling: 1) Peel the potatoes and chop them into 1-inch pieces. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, and boil until very soft. Drain and transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Mash and set aside. 2)Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Add onion, garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, coriander, and salt. Saute over medium heat about 8 to 10 minutes, or until onions are quite soft. Add this to the mashed potatoes, along with the remaining ingredients. Mix well, but try not to smash the peas. Cool for at least 15 minutes before filling the pastries.
• To Assemble and Bake: 1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Generously oil a baking sheet. 2) Keep a small container of flour, a fork, a small bowl of water, and a pastry brush close at hand. Flour a clean surface, and, one by one, roll 1-inch balls of dough into 5-inch circles, using a rolling pin. 3) Place approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons filling in the center of each circle, and fold over, just like a turnover. Brush the inside edges of each circle with a little water, and fold the edges together to make a small hem. Crimp the edges firmly with a fork. Store in the refrigerator or freezer until baking time. 4) To bake: Place the samosas on the oiled baking sheet. Brush the tops with oil. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees F., then reduce heat to 375 degrees F. and bake for 10 minutes more. For maximum crispness, turn the samosas over when you turn the oven down. 5) Serve within 5 minutes of baking, with Dipping Sauce. A nice way to serve the sauce is in individual saucers or tiny bowls, so each person can hold both samosa and sauce directly under his or her face while eating, and the sauce bowl can catch the drips. (It does drip, but that's one of the charms of this ritual.)
• For the dipping sauce: 1) Place all ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves. 2) Heat to boiling, then let simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. it will reduce slightly. 3) Serve warm or at room temperature with hot samosas.

BAKED SAMOSAS (FROM THE NEW REVISED EDITION MOOSEWOOD COOKBOOK)

Steps:

• Dough.
• Mix the flour and salt together in a medium sized bowl.
• Make a well in the centre and add the buttermilk or yogurt. Mix first with a spoon and then with your hand to make a smooth dough.
• Add extra flour as needed to keep the dough from being sticky. The dough will be quite soft. Knead in the bowl for about five minutes.
• Cover tightly and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the samosas.
• Filling.
• Peel potatoes and chop them into 1-inch pieces. Place in a saucepan, cover with water and boil until very soft. Drain and transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Mash and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Add onion, garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, coriander and salt. Saute over medium heat about 8 - 10 minutes, or until the onions are quite soft.
• Add the onion mixture to the potatoes, along with the remaining ingredients. Mix well but try not to smush the peas.
• Cool for at least 15 minutes.
• Assembly and baking.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F Generously oil a baking sheet, or cover with parchment paper.
• Have ready a small container of flour, a fork, a small bowl of water and a pastry brush.
• Flour a clean surface and, one by one, roll one inch balls of dough into a five inch circle.
• Place approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling in the centre of each circle.
• Brush the inside edges of the circle with a little water and fold the edges together to make a small hem. Crimp the edges firmly with a fork.
• Place each samosa as it is made on the greased baking sheet.
• Bake at 425F for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 375F, turning the samosas over when you do. Bake for 10 more minutes.
• Serve within 15 minutes of baking with chutney or your favourite dipping sauce.