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
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.
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.
- 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.
These samosas can be made in advance and freeze well.
Defrost and fry whenever needed.
Fry them in medium hot oil on both sides. Drain on kitchen
paper. Serve hot.
Unripe mangoes – 2-3 medium sized (peeled, diced)
Fresh Mint – 1 cup
Fresh Coriander – 1 cup
Green Chilies – 2-3 (add more if you want it to be spicy)
Juice of 2 medium sized Lemons
Sugar – 2 tsp – heaped.
Salt – ½ tsp (adjust to taste).
Method:
Blend everything together in a liquidizer with ¼ cup of
water till it becomes a smooth paste. Check for the taste. Adjust the seasoning if
needed.
Pottery by Blue Saint
It looks so yummy, just want to make these right away. Where is the recipe for Potato cutlets??
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Aiesha
www.facebook.com/AieshPhotography
Thank you Maya. You can find that recipe in April 2013 archive listed on the right hand side of the homepage.
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