Gawal Mandi: May 2014

Like the rest of the world, few foods are associated with certain events and seasons in Pakistan too. Such as Kashmiri Chai is an integral part of the food served during the wedding festivities in winter season, Gulab Jamans and Ladoos are served to celebrate joyous occasions, samosay and pakoras are served with fiery chutneys as the monsoon opens the heavens after hellish summers in Pakistan.

Our love for samosas just doesn't end with the celebration of monsoon rain but takes center stage during the month of fasting – Ramzan. No iftar table is without vegetable or minced meat samosas, served with various types of chutneys.

While growing up in Pakistan, I don’t remember samosas were ever made at home. They were always bought from family’s favorite Halwayee – Specialized sweet makers. I learnt how to make samosas after I moved to London as the local version could not satisfy my taste buds. Ammi would always buy the uncooked vegetable samosas from Sajid Sweets in Sadaar Rawalpindi and freeze them. They were fried before iftar at home and served with homemade mint, coriander yogurt chutney. I used to (and still do) make a concoction with ketchup and mint chutney which was not pleasant to look at but tasted great with a samosa coupled with a sweet cup of tea for iftar.

With Ramzan and Monsoon not very far away, I thought it’s a good idea to share my version of the samosa recipe. I am planning to make a stock of these before the month of fasting begins end of June this year.

Special Utensil : Griddle /Tava

Ingredients for samosa dough:

Flour – 1 Cup

Oil : 2 Tbsp

Salt – ½ tsp

Ajwain /Carom Seed – ¾ tsp

Water – ½ cup for Kneading. Use more if needed.

Knead the dough soft but firm with hand or in the kneading machine. Use water as needed. Let the dough rest for an hour before making small dough balls (Smaller than a golf ball). This dough will make around 12 small dough balls to make 12 chapattis (24 samosas).

Filling:

Potatoes – 1 kgs – Boiled /peeled/ mashed

Onions – 2 medium (thinly chopped). 3 tbsps. oil for frying the onions.

Fresh Green Chilies – 2 Medium sized (thinly chopped)

Fresh Coriander – 1/2 cup – chopped

Fresh Mint – 1/2 cup - chopped

Roasted Cumin seeds 1 ½ tsps. (Heaped – Crushed in Pestle Mortar)

Roasted Coriander seeds – 1 ½ tsps. (Heaped - Crushed in pestle mortar)

Anaar Dana powder (Dried Pomegranate powder) – 2 tsps. / Alternative: Dried Mango Powder – Aam choor – 2 tsps.

Crushed red chilies – ½ to 1 tsp. Adjust to taste if you want more or less.

Salt – 1 tsp (heaped) – Adjust to taste if you want more.

Method:

In a frying pan, pour 3 tbsps. of oil and fry the chopped onions till they are translucent. Do not brown. Remove on a kitchen paper. Let them cool completely before use.
Mash the potatoes and add all spices, cooked onions and herbs to it. Mix and set aside for an hour.

Making Samosas:

Heat the griddle/ tava on the stove top.
Mix 3 tbsp. of flour with 4-5 tbsp. of water. Make a thick paste. This will be used to bind the samosa crust together. Make more if needed.
Dust the working top with dry flour and roll out each dough ball in a round shape using a rolling pin. Flatten and stretch it like a chappati.
After dusting off the excess flour, put the chappati on the hot griddle. Cook both sides for 15-20 sec each enough to make it stable to handle. No need to cook it through. Remove from the stove and store in a hot pot like container so it stays warm and soft. Make all of the chappatis before beginning to stuff them.
Cut the chappatis in half. Each half will make one somosa.
Take half chapatti and apply flour paste at the straight edge and fold the sides together like an envelop. It will look like a cone.(See the photo.)
Stuff the cone with about 1 tbsp of filling. Do not over fill. Seal the open side with the flour paste. Hold it together till it is firmly sealed.