Baked Samosa

Hey my lovely readers,

So, I have been contemplating for the past month or so to write a killer comeback post from my long blogging vacation. To be honest a small break turned out to be a lengthy absence. In the meantime I have had nothing to do with blogging what so ever – expect wowing my fellow bloggers who have relentlessly been dishing out delicious goodness. I have silently cursed myself for taking the break for, it has only made my comeback so difficult. I have been scratching my head trying to figure out with absolutely no idea where to start and what to write after being dormant for so long. You know what I mean – must be a writer’s block but I admit not being here made me sad and cranky at times realizing this was my creative outlet which I absolutely love.

In May last year I transitioned into a new job profile in my company. Little did I know how busy I would get with it!?! Not that my previous job wasn’t crazy enough. But this got me new projects, opportunities, travelling to new places, meeting new people and a whole new experience. With my hands full, for the first time I started feeling I wasn’t managing things well enough. I just got too caught up juggling managing home, kids, their activities, work, and my work travel alternating with my husband’s travel schedules. Blogging just became one of my least priorities. Finding time to write became a consistent challenge.

Well, like I said coming back to blogging has been as overwhelming as it was the first time I wrote 2 years ago when I started MyCulinarySaga. One there is an abundance of beautiful food blogs with gorgeously clicked pictures that qualify as food porn.  Two, I didn’t know what would be the perfect dish to write on that would qualify a perfect comeback to blogging. And suddenly yesterday it clicked!!

There are some close friends who constantly pushed me to get back to writing and one set of people who I would like to thank during my absence – my fellow bloggers and my core group of readers who stuck around watching out for my posts and constantly kept reminding me that I need to get back.  I am now more ready and focused than ever before, promising myself that I shall be better prepared and not run out of steam.

Coming back to the dish – It is almost omnipresent in North India and you simply cannot ignore the deliciousness which pretty much gets you addicted for life. This humble stuffed triangle snack is amongst the tastiest and most loved among Indians and has garnered immense popularity worldwide… Not to forget this is so easy on the pocket and can be made from items already in the house pantry.  I refer to nothing else but SAMOSA! I love them… in fact everybody loves them.

To sum it up, Samosas are heavenly, neatly and tightly packed triangular pastries that are filled with savory spiced potatoes, vegetables and deep fried until they look sun kissed to a gorgeous brown. It is the perfect accompaniment to an evening chat with Chai and friends. What can possibly be better than biting into piping hot samosa’s with lip smacking chutney’s on the side. You will discover much to your dismay that it’s impossible to stop at one. Yum!! I can’t wait to get my hands on it again… here is the recipe below. So do give it a try.

INGREDIENTS

For the Pastry Dough:

500 gm refined flour

4 tbsp oil

1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)

Salt to taste

Water

Oil for deep frying the samosas

For the Filling:

4 medium sized potatoes – boiled, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup green peas

2-3 green chillies, crushed

2 tsp ginger, grated

1/2 tbsp oil

Pinch of asafoetida

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp dry mango powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

8-10 cashewnuts, roughly chopped (optional)

1 lime

1 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Preparing the pastry for the samosa:

1. Combine oil into the flour with your finger until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Slowly add water to prepare stiff dough.
3. Let it rest for about 20 – 30 minutes.

Preparing the filling for the samosa:

1. Boil the potatoes and peas till are cooked completely and roughly mash it.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add asafetida followed by cumin and fennel seeds.
3. When it crackles add the ginger-green chili paste. Sauté till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
4. Lower the flame and add all the dry spice powders.
5. Add cashew nuts if you prefer at this stage. Stir constantly to avoid it burning.
6. Stir in mashed potato & peas along with salt and cook for 3-5 minutes. Squeeze the juice of one lime and mix.
7. Add the chopped coriander leaves and set aside to cool.

Shaping, stuffing and frying the samosa:

1. Divide the rested dough into round portions as per the size of the samosas required.
2. Roll each portion of dough into a thin oval shape cut into 2 semi-circles.
3. Take a semi-circle. Apply water on the straight edge of the semi-circle.
4. Hold the semi-circle in your hand, fold the straight edge, bringing together the watered edges, and seal the watered edges into a triangular pocket.
5. Stuff the potato mixture in the prepared samosa cone and then seal the upper edges. Ensure there are no open pockets else they may open up during frying.

Cooking the samosa:

You can either deep fry the samosas in oil on a medium flame until golden way as it is done traditionally.

Or bake these in an oven if you are looking for a healthier option. I baked this batch lightly brushing the samosas with oil for 30 mins on 180 degrees and it turned out just as good.

Serve samosas hot with coriander chutney and/ or tamarind chutney. Enjoy!

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Love & Hugs,

Trupti