They are extremely popular in South Asia, Egypt, South Africa, and the Middle East....
food
Indulge in a world of flavour with delectable samosas – the perfect fusion of crispiness and mouth-watering fillings. Whether you’re craving a savoury snack or a delightful appetiser, samosas are crafted to satisfy your taste buds and elevate your culinary experience. Bite into a golden, flaky exterior that gives way to a rich symphony of spices and ingredients, creating a sensory adventure that's both comforting and exciting.
World Samosa Day is celebrated on September 5 every year, and we are excited to celebrate this day by eating the delicious snack. Samosas are a fried triangle-shaped dish filled with onions, potatoes, cheese, peas, and several other filling options. They are extremely popular in South Asia, Egypt, South Africa, and the Middle East.
Despite popular belief, samosas did not originate in India where it enjoys extreme popularity. It originated in the Middle East sometime before the 10th century. It was brought to India by traders around the 13th and 14th centuries. Today, samosas are so well-loved in Pakistan as well as India. They can be found from homes to fancy restaurants to roadside vendors.
The samosa finds reference in 10th-century gastronomic literature. Many medieval Persian texts mention ‘sanbosag,’ which is an early relative of the samosa and the cousin of the Persian pyramidal pastry, ‘samsa.’ Historical accounts refer to ‘sambusak,’ ‘sabusaq,’ and even ‘sanbusaj,’ as tiny mince-filled triangles eaten by travelling merchants around campfires and packed in saddlebags as snacks for a long journey. According to these references, travelling merchants travelled from Central Asia to North Africa, East Asia, and South Asia, and with them, samosas reached these places.
In India, samosas came with Middle Eastern chefs who migrated for employment during the Delhi Sultanate rule. Soon, it became a snack fit for the king. When the medieval Moroccan traveller, Ibn Battuta, visited India in the 14th century, he documented the banquets at the court of Muhammad bin Tughlaq, where ‘sambusak’ - a dish filled with mince, peas, pistachios, almonds, in a triangular pastry - was served to the guests. There have been numerous accounts of people enjoying this historical delight since then.
To celebrate this day in full spirit, try your hand at making these two unique samosa recipes which will surely add a delightful crunch to your day.
- This fusion brings a great creamy taste fused with cheese
Ingredients:
Cottage cheese (grated) 1 cup
Mozzarella cheese (grated) ½ cup
Cheddar cheese (grated) ¼ cup
Spring onion (green part) ½ cup
Fresh coriander (chopped) 3 tbs
Green chillies (chopped) 2 tsp
Black pepper (crushed) 1 tsp
Salt ¼ tsp or to taste
Cream ¼ cup
Samosa patti
All-purpose flour 1 tbs + water
Oil for frying
Directions:
* In a bowl, add cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, spring onion, coriander, green
chillies, black pepper, salt and cream, mix well.
* In small bowl, add all-purpose flour and water, mix well to form a paste.
* Take samosa patti and make pocket, add filling in the centre and roll into the shape of samosa and seal corners with all-purpose flour + water paste.
* In a wok, heat oil and fry samosa until golden.
Recipe by: Sameen Moiz
- A unique take on sweet samosa recipe
Ingredients:
Fresh coconut 2 cups
Ghee 5 tbs
Milk ½ cup
Cream ½ cup
Cardamom powder 1 tsp
Sugar ½ cup
Almonds (sliced) ¼ cup
Pistachios (sliced) ¼ cup
All-purpose flour (sifted) 2 cups
Semolina ½ cup
Salt 1 tsp or to taste
Water 1 cup or as required
Cooking oil for frying
Directions:
* In a chopper, add coconut, chop well and set aside.
* In a wok, add ghee and let it melt.
* Add chopped coconut, mix well and roast on low flame until fragrant (5-6 minutes).
* Add milk, cream, cardamom powder, sugar and mix well, cover and cook on low flame for 8-10 minutes then cook on medium flame until dries up (4-5 minutes).
* Add almonds, pistachios, mix well and cook for a minute.
* Let it cool completely.
* In a bowl, add all-purpose flour, semolina, salt, ghee and mix until it crumbles.
* Gradually add water and knead until dough is formed, grease with cooking oil, cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.
* Knead dough again until smooth, sprinkle dry flour and divide the dough into 2 parts.
* Take one part and make a ball, sprinkle dry flour and roll out with the help of rolling pin.
* Cut round shape with the help of 4-inch cutter.
* On samosa cutter, place round dough, add creamy coconut filling, apply water on the edges and close samosa cutter to make samosa shape.
* On round dough, add creamy coconut filling, apply water on the edges, flip one side press and fold to make a samosa shape (makes 22-23).
* Can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 month in freezer.
* Don’t thaw before using and fry immediately.
Recipe by: Seema Hanif
Recipe’s courtesy: Food Fusion
