Festive delights: Tempting Samosas!

India is a land of many festivals. Back home, as Holi or Diwali approaches, air seems heavy with festive anticipation.

One of the major festivals of Hinduism, Holi spiritually signifies the victory of good over evil and hope over despair. It is also referred to as “Festival of Spring” or “Festival of colors”. Holi is celebrated as a day of spreading happiness and love. It is also celebrated as thanksgiving for good harvest. The festival starts by lighting up the bonfire one day before the day of Holi and this process symbolizes the triumph of good over the bad. On the day of Holi itself, people play with colors with their friends and families and have a lot of fun.

On Holi, it is customary for every Hindu household to prepare a vast variety of sweets and namkeens for Holi and exchange food-platters with family and friends. I remember, when we were kids, mum used to prepare assorted plate of all the goodies and send them to every neighbor’s house in the multi-story through us, and those houses in return would hand us their laden plates as well. Thus, Holi is also all about cooking and sharing of delicious treats.

Here in Dublin, I don’t make a huge variety of things for the festival but there are a couple of snacks and sweets without which, it just doesn’t feel like a festival. The classic Samosa is one of those things!

A fried pastry with a savory potato filling, samosa is a popular street food in India and also a favorite breakfast dish.

This crispy and flaky snack is synonymous with Indian cuisine worldwide. It is one Indian food that most people know of. In India, Samosas are synonymous with rainy days. There’s nothing better than piping hot samosas on chilly, rainy evening with a cup full of hot tea.

Wishing all those celebrating a very Happy and colorful Holi. Have fun and be safe. Give this samosa recipe a go friends. For those who will be attempting it for the first time, I know this looks intimidating but trust me when I say making samosas is easier than you would think. The wrapping is the scary bit but it is surprisingly easy. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For making the dough–

-2 cups plain flour

-1 tsp carom seeds

– 4 tbsp hot oil or ghee

-Salt to taste

-Water to knead- little less than ½ cup

For making potato and peas stuffing-

-1 pinch asafoetida

-1 tsp cumin seeds

-1 tsp fennel seeds

-1 tsp coriander seeds

-1 tsp fresh chilly and ginger paste

-2 cups boiled, mashed potatoes

1.5 cups boiled green peas

-1 tsp black salt

-2 tsp coriander powder

-1 tsp roasted cumin powder

-1 tsp red chilly powder

-1 tsp dry mango powder

-1/4 tsp garam masala

-Salt to taste

-2 tbsp oil

Also needed-

-Oil for deep frying

Method:

-In a mixing bowl take flour, carom seeds, salt and 4 tbsp oil.

-Mix nicely with both the hands for few minutes till oil is completely absorbed in the flour. This step is extremely essential for getting the perfect samosa crust. Mix till you get a breadcrumb like texture and when you take some flour and close your palm, it should hold a shape. That’s when you know that the flour is ready.

-Keep it aside and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.

-For the filling, take a wok or pan and add 2 tbsp oil to it.

-Add a pinch of asafoetida

-Now add cumin and fennel seeds and let them roast for few seconds.

-Add coriander seeds (crushed) and mix well.

-Add chilly-ginger paste and saute for a minute.

-Now add mashed boiled potatoes and green peas. Mix gently and cook for 4-5 minutes.

-After 5 minutes, add coriander powder, chilly powder, black salt, salt, garam masala and dry mango powder.

-Mix well and let the mixture cook for some time till everything combines together and you can smell nice aroma. Also add fresh, chopped coriander.

-Once stuffing is ready, transfer it in a plate and let it cool down.

-Now take the rested dry flour and add some water to make a tight dough. Do not knead it too much. Just assemble it together with light hands and knead softly at the end to smooth it out.

-Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.

-After 15 minutes, take the dough and divide it in 7 same sized balls.

-In a meanwhile, heat the enough oil in deep kadai/wok for deep frying at low heat.

-Now take one ball and roll it to a thin oval. You have to roll it as thin as you can! If it is very hard for you to roll, apply little oil on the rolling board and roll it.

-Cut this rolled oval in two equal parts at the center to get two semi-circles.

-Take one part and apply thin layer of water all over the edges.

-Put one side of the edge on other and make a cone shape.

-Now put some potato stuffing inside this cone and stick it together to seal the samosa well.

-Drop some dough in the oil to see if it is ready for frying. It should take a few seconds to come up. If your dropped dough immediately sizzles and comes up, that means that your oil is too hot!

-Fry 4- 5 samosas at a time. Make sure that oil is on very low heat throughout. If you fry samosas at medium or high heat, they will be raw on the inside and the covering will get bubbles.

-Cook samosas on low heat till they become firm and light brown in color.

-Once they get light brown in color, increase the heat to medium and cook them for a couple of minutes till they get a nice darkish color.

-Samosas are ready to serve. Serve them hot with green chutney and tamarind chutney.