These crisp, golden pastry pockets showcase the best of Indian cuisine, using diverse spices to elevate simple ingredients. Traditionally this delicious snack comes in many shapes with a variety of fillings, but a humble spiced potato samosa is a favourite on the streets of India. Best enjoyed with a cup of spicy chai tea.
Image: Gareth van Nelson
Makes 18
INGREDIENTS
- 6 medium potatoes, peeled and
cut into 2cm cubes - 1t each coriander seeds, cumin seeds and turmeric
- 3 cloves
- ¼t cinnamon
- 3T vegetable oil, plus 4 cups
for deep-frying - 4cm-piece ginger, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 medium red chili, chopped
- 2 white onions, chopped
- ¾ cup vegetable stock
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup fresh coriander,
roughly chopped - 18 store-bought, rectangular samosa wrappers
- 2 eggs, beaten
- ½ cup coriander leaves, for garnish
For the chutney
- 2 cups fresh coriander
- 2cm-piece ginger, peeled
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 green chili, roughly chopped
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 2T desiccated coconut
METHOD
Bring potatoes to the boil in a pot of salted water. Parcook for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Add coriander and cumin seeds and toast until fragrant, about a minute.
Use a mortar and pestle (or spice grinder) to grind the seeds with the turmeric, cloves and cinnamon until a powder forms.
Add oil to the pan and fry the ginger, garlic, chili and onion on medium heat until soft – about 8 minutes. Add the spice mix and stir for 2 minutes.
Add potatoes and vegetable stock, reduce the heat and simmer potatoes until they are fully cooked and stock is absorbed, then season to taste.
Allow mixture to cool completely before adding chopped coriander.
Place all the chutney ingredients in a blender with ¼ cup boiling water and blend until smooth. Season to taste and decant into a serving bowl.
To make a samosa, lay out a pastry wrapper horizontally, brush with egg wash and place a teaspoon of filling in the centre near the right edge.
Fold the top right corner over the filling to begin a triangle. Fold the whole parcel over (to the left) to enclose the left edge. Fold the bottom right corner of the triangle up to the left along the upper fold. Fold the remaining flap of pastry in to close it.
Repeat with the rest of the samosa wrappers and filling.
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and deep-fry samosas in batches until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towel.
Serve immediately with the green chutney for dipping.
Recipes and styling by Chiara Turilli
