Samosa Recipe (Punjabi Potato Samosa)

Make Samosa Dough

Notes: The texture of samosa dough has to be slightly stiff yet pliable & not too soft like roti/naan dough. Too much moisture in the dough will make lots of tiny air pockets in the crust and will prevent the samosas from turning crispy.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (organic maida)

¾ teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ cup oil or ghee (4 tablespoons)

4 tablespoons water (approximately)

Instructions

To a mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, ajwain, and salt.

Mix well. Rub the flour between your palms to incorporate the oil well for 3 to 4 minutes. The flour should resemble breadcrumbs.

Press down a handful of the flour in your palm; it should form or hold shape without crumbling, indicating the oil is well incorporated.

Add water gradually and form a firm, stiff, and non-sticky dough.

Cover and rest for 25 to 30 minutes.

Make Potato Stuffing

Notes: You can also pressure cook them whole following these timings – small potatoes – 5 mins, medium size – 7 mins and large – 10 mins.

Ingredients

4 medium (500 grams) potatoes

½ cup green peas (boiled or frozen)

1 tablespoon oil or ghee

¾ teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 to 2 green chilies chopped

1 pinch hing (asafoetida) (optional)

¾ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (adjust to taste)

½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)

¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon cumin powder

½ teaspoon amchur powder (dried mango powder) or chaat masala (adjust to taste)

½ teaspoon fennel powder (optional, saunf powder)

¼ cup chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

Peel, halve, and boil the potatoes until fork tender but not mushy. Alternatively, pressure cook unpeeled, halved potatoes for 2 to 3 whistles on medium flame. Peel after cooling.

Cool the potatoes and crumble them. Set aside.

Heat oil or ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds.

When the seeds begin to splutter, add minced ginger and chopped green chilies. Sauté for 30 to 60 seconds. Then add a pinch of hing. Optional: Add chopped cashews and roast until golden.

Add the spice powders: Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, garam masala, cumin powder, amchur powder (or chaat masala), and fennel powder (optional). Sauté for 30 seconds, then add green peas. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add potatoes.

Sauté the entire potato masala for 2 to 3 minutes until potatoes blend well with spice powders. Add chopped coriander leaves. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

Set aside to cool. If you have not used amchur or chaat masala, then add lemon juice at this stage.

Make Samosa

Notes: The roti shrinks back little due to the nature of all-purpose flour so I prefer to roll it gently again. If you feel the edges are too thick then roll a bit.

Ingredients

Dough

Potato Filling

Water

Instructions

After the dough has rested, knead it for another 3 to 4 minutes. It should be stiff and not soft. Divide the dough into 5 equal parts.

Oil the counter or rolling board. Place a dough ball and roll it into an oval-shaped even layer (approximately 8.5 inches long and 6.5 inches wide). It should be slightly thick and not too thin.

Cut the oval in the center to make two parts.

Apply water with your finger over the straight edge of one part.

Join the edges to make a cone shape and stick the edges well. Secure the edge from inside the cone as well. If you have trouble sticking, use a paste of flour and water.

Fill the cone with potato masala. Press down a bit with a small spoon.

Apply water on the remaining edge.

Stick the edges to seal well. On one side, make a pleat as shown in the images or video.

Bring the pleat to the side and stick it up. Ensure the samosa is sealed well. Pinch and press down on the edges to seal them.

Place the samosas on a tray and cover to prevent drying. Make 5 to 6 samosas first, then fry them. Make the rest while frying the first batch.

Fry Samosa

Notes: Helpful note: After you add them to the hot oil, you will see very tiny bubbles rising slowly, meaning the temperature is right. You should not be hearing any sizzling noise as it does with other fried snacks.

Ingredients

Oil for deep frying

Instructions

Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. The oil should be moderately hot, not very hot. Test with a small piece of dough; it should rise slowly with tiny bubbles, not sizzle a lot.

Gently slide as many samosas as you can into the oil (fry 5 at a time). Fry them on a low flame, undisturbed, for about 10 to 12 minutes. When the crust becomes firm, increase the flame to medium.

Turn them to the other side and fry until crispy and golden.

Don’t rush; they will take time to fry golden. Be patient and fry until golden and crisp.

When the samosas turn golden, remove them to a steel colander or wire rack. For the next batch, reduce the heat to bring down the temperature before adding them.

Serve samosas with mint chutney, sweet tamarind chutney, or tomato sauce.

How to make Instant Tamarind Samosa Chutney

Notes: Adjust the amount of tamarind paste as every brand is different. Tamarind paste and concentrate are not same. Concentrate is stronger so start with lesser and adjust as needed.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons tamarind paste (or 2 tsps concentrate, more if required)

½ cup jaggery / brown sugar

⅛ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder

½ teaspoon cumin powder

¼ teaspoon garam masala

¼ teaspoon ground fennel

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon black salt (or sea salt only if needed, your tamarind paste may contain salt)

¾ cup water

Instructions

Mix together cumin powder, garam masala, red chili powder and fennel in a small sauce pan. Toast them on a low heat for 30 to 60 seconds, until aromatic. Do not burn.

Add the jaggery, tamarind paste and pour water. Mix well and simmer until slightly thick, a sauce like consistency.

Stir in the ginger and black salt during the last 1 minute of cooking. It takes about 8 to 10 mins for the tamarind chutney to reach the right consistency.

Taste test and add more salt, tamarind, jaggery or any other spice as required to taste.

How to make Green Chutney

Ingredients

2 cups mint leaves (use only leaves, no stalks, sub with cilantro)

1 cup cilantro/ coriander leaves (include tender stalks, sub with mint)

2 cup yogurt / thick curd

1 teaspoon sugar (adjust to taste)

1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)

⅓ inch ginger peeled

2 small garlic cloves peeled

1¼ teaspoon roasted cumin powder (bhuna jeera powder)

1 teaspoon chaat masala (optional, for the authentic flavors)

Instructions

Blend together mint, cilantro, salt, ginger, garlic, green chilies, roasted cumin powder, sugar, salt and 2 to 3 tbsp cold yogurt to a smooth paste.

Whisk yogurt until smooth and stir in the blended paste. Stir in the chaat masala.

Taste test and adjust salt, chili and sprinkle lemon juice if required. Serve with kebabs, snacks & sandwiches.