If you’ve got all the time in the world, then by all means master the traditional way to make samoosas. Alternatively, push tradition to one side and grasp the global alternatives available. This means replacing the most time-consuming aspect of real samoosas – the endless messing around with pur, the traditional samoosa dough, and replacing it with one of our many time-saving products in the supermarket freezer – frozen phyllo pastry. Once more, we have to thank the Greeks.
To make a batch of quick samoosas, you will need:
1 pack of frozen phyllo pastry
2 onions 250g lamb mince
2 cloves garlic 25mm fresh root ginger
2 to 5 small green chillies ½ teaspoon freshly ground jeera (cumin)
½ teaspoon freshly ground dhania seeds (coriander)
5 whole elachi (white cardamoms)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dhania leaves (coriander leaves)
Sunflower or canola oil
We begin WITH A Clear, large working surface. Let the frozen phyllo pastry thaw. Peel and finely slice the onions. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves and the fresh root ginger. Some rookie chefs have asked me how best to peel fresh ginger and there are two answers: either slowly with a sharp, thin-bladed knife (my preference) or with a patented potato peeler. And while the latter is quicker, it lacks that sense of craftmanship and personal achievement.
Next, attack the chillies. If you have allergies, you may care to wear rubber gloves for this process. With a paring knife, slice the chillies longitudinally and remove the seeds. This will lower the chilli burn index while retaining sufficient heat to enliven the eating experience. Finely chop the seedless remainder of each chilli. I n a heavy-bottomed frying pan heat two tablespoons of sunflower or canola oil and add the onions, garlic, ginger and chillies.
Stirring from time to time to avoid burning, let the contents cook until the onions are soft and translucent. At this point, add the dry spices, having first peeled the white cardamoms and distributed the seeds into the mix by hand. Add the minced lamb, breaking it up with a spoon. Stir well to evenly distribute the ingredients and seasoning. this cook slowly until done to your liking.
Add a little water if the mixture gets too dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper then let it cool under cover, having added the finely chopped fresh mint and dhania leaves at the last moment. Unpack the now thawed phyllo pastry. Cut a sheet into strips of 60mm wide and place a spoonful of the spicy meat mixture in the middle of each strip. Fold the strip over the contents, making a triangular parcel. Practise makes perfect, but even imperfect triangles taste marvellous. Deep-fry the parcels in sunflower or canola oil until the pastry is crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and allow the samoosas to drain on paper towels or new brown paper. And then all that’s left to do is enjoy! – David Basckin |fw
