If you think of an “a Nairobian snack”, probably the first image that pops into mind is the Samosa. These little fried parcels of flaky-yet-tender pastry, stuffed to the brim with spiced potatoes and other ingredients, are pretty much my idea of the Kenya’s greatest savory snack.
Not only are they insanely delicious, but they’re also incredibly versatile. Samosas can be served as appetizers, entrees, or a lunch on the move. They’re good hot or at room temperature. They keep for days and days, and they reheat well. What is not to love?
Finding a great Samosa though, is no easy feat – whether they’re bought or recipes. Most are “OK” but never quite get there for me. So I set myself the goals of creating my own ideal Samosa recipe.
And so, after many rounds of testing, eating, rethinking and eating some more, I’m happy to report I’ve finally arrived at this recipe – my idea of the perfect Kenyan made Samosa Recipe
Dipping Samosa into tamarind sauce
Tamarind dipping sauce is a popular condiment to serve alongside Samosas. The tart sauce is perfect for cutting through the richness! Recipe provided below.
What you need to make Samosas
Here’s what you need to make Samosas. Yes, you will see a few less-common spices in this recipe that call for a trip to the Indian grocery store if you truly want to make real Samosas. If not, I’ve got alternatives to suggest!
SAMOSA INGREDIENTS
THE SPICES
The spices marked with an asterisk* are specialty spices that likely require a trip to an Indian grocery store. But I’ve made notes for best substitutions!
Ajwain seeds – An Indian spice with a fragrant and fruity but bitter taste. Substitute thyme leaves;
Amchur – Also known as mango powder, is made from dried green mangoes. It is sour in taste and is said to help digestion. Substitute 1/2 tsp lemon juice;
Asafoetida – Also known as hing, this is a traditional ingredient used in Indian cooking that is derived from a species of giant fennel. It has a somewhat bitter garlic / onion flavor, which makes it a great substitute for people who can’t have garlic or onion.! Substitute 1/4 tsp each of garlic and onion powder;
Black mustard seeds – They look like poppyseeds but are fragrant and have a slight horseradish-like bite to them. They’re not spicy, more a fresh zing. ~ $1.50 in small packs at Indian grocery stores. Also sold in the Indian food section at some Woolworths (Australia) $1.70, and online! Also used in Eggplant Curry, Dal and Vegetable Samosa Pie recipes;
Garam Masala – A well-known Indian spice mix which is pretty common these days. It’s found in the spice aisle of regular supermarkets and costs not more than other spices; and
Cumin seeds and powder, coriander seeds and turmeric – Very common spices used in Indian cooking, found everywhere these days at regular grocery stores.
OTHER INGREDIENTS
Flour – Just regular all-purpose/plain flour;
Green chili – Use a cayenne pepper which provides just a mild background hum of spice. These Samosas are not overly spicy!
Ghee or oil – Ghee is a traditional cooking fat used in Indian cooking. It is simply normal butter but with milk solids and water removed, leaving behind pure butter fat. Ghee has a more intense butter flavor than normal butter, with the added bonus that unlike butter, it doesn’t burn even on high heat.
It is rubbed into the flour to make the Samosa pastry flaky.
You can either make your own Ghee (it’s cheaper, really easy and keeps for months), buy it, or just use normal butter;
Potatoes – For the potato filling. Use either starchy or all-rounder potatoes,
Ginger – Fresh ginger is best here, but you could substitute with ginger powder in an emergency 😇;
Peas – Frozen all the way! No need for fresh here; and
Coriander/cilantro – Stirred into the potato filling at the end, it adds such a great hit of freshness.
How to make the Kenyan Samosas
The four parts to making Samosas are:
The spiced potato filling;
The Samosa dough;
Making the Samosa parcels; and
Frying – Sorry, there is no alternative! Do not try to bake them, you will be sorely disappointed!
PART 1: SPICED POTATO and MEAT FILLING
The filling for Samosas is typically vegetarian, made with roughly mashed potato that’s cooked up with spices, fresh green chili and peas. Although you’ll see plenty of versions with meat (usually ground), I like to keep things traditional – regular readers know I don’t say that often!
Rough-mashed potato – Boil potatoes until tender, then use a fork to roughly mash. It’s nice to have bits of chunks in the potato for interest, rather than a soft, creamy and uniform mash;
Cook spices and aromatics – A healthy dose of spices are fried up with fresh ginger and chili which is then tossed through along the peas;
Add potato and meat– Add the mashed potato and gently but thoroughly mix through, so the flavoring fully permeates the potato; and
Fresh coriander, then cool – Lastly, mix through fresh coriander, then let the filling cool completely before using.
PART 2: SAMOSA DOUGH
A key feature of the Samosa pastry is how flaky it is. This is achieved by rubbing ghee or oil into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs, just like we do with Western shortcrust pastry!
How to make the Samosas
Mix dry ingredients, add ghee – Mix the flour, Ajwain seeds and salt, then pour the ghee or oil in;
Rub fat in – Use your fingers to rub the ghee in until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. This is the step that gives the Samosa pastry the signature flakiness we know and love so much!
Form dough, rest 30 minutes – We then add water until it is wet enough to form a dough. The dough should be soft and pliable, but not so sticky that it sticks to your hands. Form a ball and let it rest for 30 minutes;
Divide – Form a log, then cut into 6 equal pieces;
Shape dough into balls;
Roll out balls to 2mm thick – Roll the dough balls into discs 2mm thick. They should be about 16cm /6.5” in diameter.
Now, you’re ready to make the little Samosa parcels!
PART 3: SAMOSA PARCELS or raps
Don’t get stressed out about this part. It’s honestly not that hard. And if yours are a bit deformed and wonky, so what? It’s still going to taste amazing!!! And you can just say they’re “rustic”. 😉
How to make Samosas
Cut in half – Use a small knife to cut a circle in half. Work with one disc of dough at a time. Keep the others covered under cling wrap so they don’t dry out;
Brush disc with water along half the straight edge you just cut;
Fold one side in;
Form cone – Then fold the other side in, overlapping by about 1cm / 2/5″, to form a cone shape. Press joined edges together to secure;
Fill cone – Form an “O” with your thumb and forefinger, then place the cone inside (like at the holders at the ice cream shop). Fill with the spiced potato filling;
Brush with water along the cone mouth edge;
Seal – Press to seal;
Fold seam side down – Place the seam side down on the work surface so it folds over;
Trim excess pastry off;
Pinch top of cone to make it nice and pointy;
Fold in the other two corners;
Voila! You’re done!
PART 4: FRYING – AND THE TRICK TO LESS GREASY, ULTRA-CRISPY SAMOSAS!
The trick to frying Samosas is to start on low heat, otherwise the pastry can burst open and the filling spills out into the hot oil!
Consequently, most recipes will call for the Samosas to be fried at a relatively low temperature of 160°C/320°F for 10 minutes+. But this makes them SUPER-greasy!
Instead, we’re using the good old, reliable Kenyan double-fry method. It’s fast becoming the world’s worst-kept cooking secret for less greasy, ultra-crispy fried goods, it’s used in takeout favorites from Honey Chicken to Sweet & Sour Pork, to Japanese Karaage. It involves an initial fry on low heat to seal, followed by a second fry on high heat to color and crisp.
How to make Samosas
First fry: Seal Pastry – Heat the oil to 160°C/320°F, then fry 3 or 4 samosas for 3 minutes, turning occasionally. The pastry should be cooked but pale;
Drain on paper towels then repeat this first fry with remaining samosas;
Second fry: Color and crisp – Once you’ve done the first fry with all the Samosas,
Increase the oil heat to 190°C/375°F.
Then fry the Samosas in batches of 3 or 4 for around 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until golden.
The Samosas are already cooked through, this step is just to color and really crisp up that pastry;
Drain on paper towels and serve piping hot for optimum eating experience!
Pile of Samosas on a plate, ready to be eaten
Dipping Sauce for Samosas
The recipe includes a Tamarind Dipping Sauce which is a popular condiment to serve alongside Samosas. The sauce is a bit tart, which nicely cuts through the rich flaky pastry and balances the spice infused filling.
For a simpler option, you could just blitz up yogurt with fresh mint leaves for a quick Raita of sorts.
How to serve Samosas
Samosas, like Pakoras, are typically served as a starter or snack, being the terrific hand-held size that they are. Though mind you, I’ve seen plenty of gigantic Samosas in my time. I can’t deal with the thought of the volume of oil required to fry those beasts!
I’m sharing this Samosa recipe as part of a Kenyan Baking Week, so you can make your very own Nairobian feast…