Samosas

Submitted by Gina Abraham
country of origin: Northern India

Ingredients

3/4 cups self-rising flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces 4 Tbsp water
•Filling•
3 medium potatoes, boiled
1 tsp fresh ginger root, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp white cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mixed onion and mustardseeds
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red chillies
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 small green chillies
finely chopped ghee or oil, for deep-frying

Directions

Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and cut into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Pour in the water and mix with a fork to form a dough. Pat the dough into a ball and knead for 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth. Add a little flour if the dough is sticky. Cover and leave to rise. To make the filling, mash the boiled potatoes gently and mix with the ginger, garlic, white cumin seeds, onion and mustard seeds, salt, crushed red chillies, lemon juice and green chillies. Break small balls off the dough and roll each out very thinly to form a round shape. Cut in half, dampen the edges and shape into cones. Fill the cones with a little of the filling, dampen the top and bottom edges of the cones and pinch together to seal. Set aside. Fill a deep pan one-third full with oil and heat to 180 ̊-190 ̊C, or 350 ̊-375 ̊F, or until a small cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Carefully lower the samosas into the oil, a few at a time, and fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oil and drain thoroughly on kitchen towels. Serve hot or cold.

• preparation time: 1 hour
• makes: Makes 10-12
• Samosas, which are a sort of Indian Cornish pastry, make excellent snacks. In India you can buy them along the roadside, and they are very popular. They may be frozen and re-heated.