Guest Author - Vandana Trivedi


This article was written and posted by BellaOnline’s former Indian Food editor, Vandana Trivedi. Vandana is no longer with BellaOnline.com but we wish her good luck and success in all of her future endeavors.

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I´m a HUGE fan of samosas. Every time we order Indian, which is rather frequently, I always have samosas with the meal. You can make them yourself at home, which is even better because you can easily customize them to be perfect for your own palate.

Stuffing:
5 potatoes
5 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 cup peas
3 1/2 Tbsp chopped coriander
3 Tbsp water
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Shell:
2 cups flower
1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 Tbsp water

Directions:
Sift together the flower and the salt. Knead in the oil and then the water to form the dough. Knead the dough on a counter until it´s smooth, about 10 minutes. Now ball the dough, oil it with just enough oil to coat it, and put it in a small bowl to rise. Cover it with a towel.

Boil the potatoes whole, cool them, peel them and slice them into small cubes, about 1/2" on a side. Put oil into frying pan, heat on medium flame until hot, and add the onion. Stir for about 2 minutes. Add in ginger, coriander, peas, and water. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in potatoes, cumin, garam masala, pepper, and lemon juice. Cook for about 5 minutes, then let cool.

Knead the shell and divide into 8 portions. Roll one into a circle. Cut the circle in half, and put the filling into it, so that you can fold the pastry around it. Seal it shut with water and a fork pressing, like a ravioli. Finish the rest up.

Fry the samosas in a deep fryer for around 5-7 minutes, until they turn golden brown. Serve warm.