Samosa

Samosa is one of the popular snacks of North Indians.

Quantity: 10-12 pieces (depending on size)

Ingredients:

• For Dough:
• Maida/ Plain Flour: 2 cups
• Melted Ghee: 1/4 cup (Using oil instead of ghee may make the crust bubbly while frying)
• Ajwain: 1/4 tsp (optional)
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Lukewarm water: to knead dough
• For Stuffing:
• Boiled Potatoes: 4-5 (Peeled and mashed)
• Boiled peas (optional)
• Coarsely crushed Coriander seeds: 1 tsp
• Red chilli pwd: to taste
• Salt: 1 tsp (or to taste)
• Garam masala: 1/2 tsp
• Amchur/ Mango pwd: 1 tsp
• Green chilli:1-2 (chopped)
• Fresh coriander leaves: 2-3 tbsp( chopped)
• Lemon water: 2 tsp (Don't forget to add it)
• Fresh mint leaves: 5-6 (chopped) [gives amazing taste to the stuffing]
• Oil: 1 tbsp
• Fennel Pwd (Saunf pwd): 1/2 tsp
• Dryfruits: raisins/ cashews (optional)
• Oil: For frying

Method:

• For Dough:
• Add salt to the maida flour. Mix it.
• Now, add melted ghee and Mix ghee with hands properly.
• Finally, knead a little stiff dough with lukewarm water. Cover the dough with moist cloth and Keep aside for 15-20 mins. ( If the dough is sift like roti, then the samosa crust will not be very crispy. It will be soggy and with lots of bubbles)
• For stuffing:
• Heat oil in pan. 
• Add green chilli, peas and mashed potatoes. 
• Add all the masalas (salt, amchur, fennel pwd, coriander seeds, garam masala, red chilli pwd etc). Mix well.
• Turn off the gas and keep aside.

• Now make small balls of dough.
• Take 1 ball of dough.
• Roll and make a small and thin chapati. Cut it with knife to form two semicircles. (Imp :If needed, use oil to flatten it- only the side that will touch the rolling board and don't flip the side as we want oil only on one side. Don't use flour) (Also, don't make thick chapati) (If the chapati is not thin , then samosa won't be crunchy- it will be like a soft poori)

• Apply a little water on the flat edge of the semicircle.
• Pick up one semicircle and fold to make a cone. 

• Put 1-2 tsp of stuffing in the cone. Apply a litlle water on the open edges of cone. (Make sure the water doesnt go into the stuffing )
• Make a (single) plait on the edge while bring the edges together to seal the samosa.
• Seal the cone by joining the open edges.

• Again roll to form 3'' discs. Make sure that the discs don't, break while rolling.
• Make all the samosas in the same way. Cover and Leave it for 15-20 mins. (This will ensure that the samosas are not soggy)
• Heat oil in pan. The oil should not be too hot.  It should be medium hot. (to make crispy samosas and to get a smooth crust- without bubbles)
• Put as many samosas as you can ,at the same time in oil. Simmer the flame. Fry till golden brown on low flame for a bit longer time until roasted. The samosas should be fried for atleast 6-8 mins. (Putting lots of  samosas together in one go helps it to roast properly and it will prevent them from becoming soft like pooris)
• Ready to serve hot with tamarind chutney or Kabuli chana.

PS:

• Before kneading the dough with warm water, when you add ghee to the flour, check if the flour comes together in your palm (Mutthi ban jaye). If not, add more oil and check again.
• The dough should be little stiff than roti (to prevent air bubbles on the surface of samosa)
• The temperature of the oil should be low- medium while frying, in order to get crispy samosas with smooth crust. 
• The samosas will not be crispy if the temperature of oil is too high. The samosas crust quality depends on the quality of dough. (The dough should NOT be soft)