SAMOSA
Layer Samosas
2 sheets puff pastry (eggless)
3 tbsp ghee
2 green chillies, chopped
1 cup chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp asofoetida
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp water
salt to taste
¼ cup buttermilk
Water to seal edges
Little dry flour to roll pastry
Prepare the filling: Heat the ghee in a sauce pan. Add the ginger, turmeric, garam masala powder, asofoetida, green chillies and cook on medium. Add the water to keep the filling from drying and cook for about 5 minutes. Add coriander leaves and let the filling cool.
repare the Samosa: Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Cut the pastry sheets into three strips each. Start rolling out each strip till it is as thick as a paratha. Cut into 6 sections. Add 1/2 tsp of filling in the center of the pastry and wet the edges with water. Fold over the pastry to form a triangle (samosa) and press the edges to seal. Place on baking sheet and brush lightly with buttermilk. Bake for 10-15 minutes, checking every 5 minutes till the tops turn a nice dark golden.
Samosas #1
2 tablespoons ghee
1-1/4 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 hot green chili, minced
½ inch fresh ginger, minced
4 medium red potatoes, cooked, diced
3/4 cup peas
1/2 teaspoon salt
asofoetida to taste
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
8-10 eggroll wrappers (eggless)
Ghee for deep-frying
For Stuffing: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin and coriander; cook until they are fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the chili and ginger; cook 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium. Add potatoes, peas and salt; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and add cilantro. Filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before using.
Assemble: Spoon filling onto bottom half of eggroll wrappers, using about 1/3-cup filling for each. Fold over and trim into half-moons. Moisten fingers with water; pinch closed. Heat several inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep saucepan. Fry turnovers, several at a time, until they are crisp and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve at once.
Samosas #2
For the Pastry:
2-1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk or yogurt
extra flour, as needed
For the Stuffing:
2 large potatoes
1 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. freshly grated ginger
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. dried coriander
3/4 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups uncooked green peas
2 Tbs. lemon juice
Cayenne, to taste
For Dough: Place the flour in a medium-sized bowl. Mix in the salt. Mix in the milk or yogurt to make a smooth dough. Add extra flour, as needed, to keep the dough from being sticky. The dough will be quite soft. Knead in bowl for about 5 minutes. Cover tightly and refrigerate till you are ready to assemble the pastries.
Cook and mash the potatoes and set aside. Melt the butter and saute ginger, mustard seeds, coriander and salt over medium heat for about 8 minutes, till ginger is soft. Add this to the mashed potatoes. Cool for at least 15 minutes before filling the pastries.
Assembly: Preheat the oven to 425F. Generously oil a baking sheet. Keep a small container of flour, a fork, a small bowl of water, and a pastry brush close at hand. Flour a clean surface, and, using a rolling pin, roll 1-inch balls of dough into 5-inch circles. Place a bit of filling in the center and fold over, like a turnover. Brush the inside edges of each circle with a little water, and fold the edges together to make a small hem. Crimp the edges firmly with fork. To bake: Place the samosas on the oiled baking sheet. Brush the tops with ghee. Bake 15 minutes at 425F, then reduce heat to 375F and bake 10 minutes more. For maximum crispiness, turn the samosas over when you turn the oven down. Serve hot.
Samosas #3
For the Pastry:
1-1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 cup warm water
For the Filling:
1-1/4 tbsp ghee
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 small cubed sweet potato
1/2 cup mashed cooked peas
1 tsp mint leaves
2 tsp coriander
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp asofoetida
1 tbsp ginger, grated (fresh)
1/4 cup hot water
ghee for cooking
For Dough: Sift flour and salt into bowl, add ghee and water, mix thoroughly, knead for a couple minutes. Cover with plastic and let dough rest while you’re make filling.
Heat ghee in pan, fry ginger until soft. Add curry, salt, lemon juice and asofoetida, and mix well. Add vegetables and fry over high heat, stirring constantly. Turn down heat, add water and cover. Cook until liquid is absorbed 10 - 15 minutes). Add garam masala, mint, and coriander, mix, remove from heat, cool.
Assembly: Take small pieces of dough, shape into balls, and on a lightly floured board, roll each ball to a very thin circle, about the size of a saucer. Cut circle in half. Put 1 tsp of filling in the middle of each half circle, brush edges with water, fold dough over and press edges together. When they are all made, heat ghee in a wok, deep fry a few at a time until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
Offer hot.
Samosas Calcutta Style
For cover:
2 cups plain flour
3 tbsp. melted ghee
salt to taste
For filling:
1 cup cauliflower
2 cups potatoes boiled
6-7 green chillies
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. panchphoran
1/2 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
1/2 tsp. amchoor (dried mango) powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/4 tsp. turmeric
salt to taste
1/2 tbsp. raisins
1 tbsp. cashew pieces
3-4 pinches asafoetida
1 tbsp. ghee
Ghee for deep frying
Sift flour and salt together. Add ghee and mix well. Add water to knead a soft dough. Cover with moist cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes. Brush liberally with ghee, knead, cover again and keep aside.
For filling: Grate cauliflower, mash potatoes and finely chop green chillies. Heat ghee, add cashews and fry till light golden. Add panchphoran and allow to splutter. Add cauliflower. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Remove from heat and set aside.
To assemble: Make small balls the size of small lemons, from dough. Knead one into thin chappati about 5" diameter. Cut into half, take one, fold into cone, seal edge with some water. Fill with one tbsp. filling, seal open edges to form triangular pyramid. Seal edges and corners well with moist fingers. Make four or five at a tme, deep frying in hot ghee till golden and crisp. Offer hot.
Shingara (Bengali Samosa)
ghee for frying
potato 1 large
cauliflower 1 medium
coconut 3-5 tbsp, fresh, peeled, chopped
cumin seeds 1 tsp
ginger 2 tsp, finely minced, fresh
hot green peppers 2, seeded and minced (Serranos orThai)
green peas ¼ cup by weight
cayenne pepper ¼ tsp
turmeric ¼ tsp
salt to taste
raisins 2-3 tbsp, preferably golden
ground roasted cumin 1-1/4 tsp
ground roasted coriander 1-1/4 tsp
peanuts small handful, well blanched and chopped
coriander leaves 1 tbsp, chopped
Use whatever pastry recipe you most prefer. Peel the potato, cut into small cubes. Chop the cauliflower so as to get pieces of the same approximate size as the potatoes. Heat the ghee and fry the potatoes till golden brown. Remove from ghee and set aside on paper towels to drain. Add the cauliflower pieces to the ghee and fry till almost cooked. Remove and set aside to drain. Heat the ghee. Add coconut, cumin seeds, ginger, green peppers, peas. Fry for about a minute. Add the fried potato, cauliflower, cayenne pepper, salt. Fry for a few minutes over medium heat. Add the raisins, heat covered till vegetables are done. If any excess liquid remains, uncover and heat till excess moisture is absorbed. If things get too dry along the way, sprinkle a touch of water. Add the ground roasted cumin and coriander, chopped coriander, and peanuts, mix well, and cool. Stay aware that the mixture is moderately fragile, so mix gently. The potato and the cauliflower are supposed to be cooked through but should remain in distinct pieces. They will be a bit sticky but definitely not mashed. Traditionally, this Bengali samosa is not served with a chutney, which is considered to be gilding the lily.
