Samosas
DOUGH
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup water
You can make this dough by hand or use a food processor. Mix the dry ingredients together first. If using a food processor, blend for about a minute. Then add the oil and mix (if using a food processor, add through the tube in the cover, blend for another minute). Then add water, a little at a time, kneading the dough by hand or adding the water slowly through the tube of the food processor and blending. Add enough water so the dough becomes a tight, sticky ball. Set aside for one hour while you make the filling. NOTE: If you do not want to make the dough yourself, you can buy pre-made Lumpia wrappers or gyoza wrappers from the Asian section of your grocery store and use those instead.
FILLING
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 onion, chopped
1 fresh jalapino chili, chopped and seeded
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
1 tablespoon coriander powder
salt to taste
2 large potatoes
1 cup peas
1/2 cup fresh cilantro (Chinese parsley), chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
olive oil for frying
Cook the potatoes (boil or steam) until soft, peel them, and mash them in a bowl. Now you will prepare the spices. First, heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and keep heating until you hear them begin to pop. Then add the onions and sauté until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add the jalapino and the ginger and sauté another 3-4 minutes, making sure not to burn the spices. Next, add the turmeric, and the coriander powder, mix well, and fry for another minute. Add the mashed potatoes and the peas, mix well and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Salt the filling to your taste and then add the cilantro and the lemon juice. Mix well and cook for another few minutes. Let the filling cool before stuffing the dough.
COOKING THE SAMOSAS
cutting board
rolling pin
sharp knife
plate of flour
dish of water
Break off a small piece of dough and roll it between your hands until it becomes a ball. Dip the ball into the plate of flour until it is coated with flour. This will make it less sticky and easier to roll. Roll the ball on the cutting board into a circle about 1/4 inch thick. If the dough gets sticky, keep dipping it into the flour on the plate. With a sharp knife, cut the dough circle in half. Dip your fingers in the water, and moisten all along the edges of one of the half circles. Roll the edges together so it forms a cone shape, pressing the edges together to seal it. Hold the cone in your hand and stuff the opening with the filling. Press the edges together to seal. Do not overstuff the samosa or else the filling will leak out of the edges while frying. You can make the samosas any size you want. Make them large if they will be a main course or make them small if using them for appetizers.
Heat enough oil in a saucepan to deep fry the samosas. When hot, add the filled dough pieces one at a time into the oil. Fry until golden brown, making sure they do not burn. Remove the samosas from the oil with a slotted spoon and let them drain on paper towels. NOTE: If you do want to deep fry the samosas, you can bake them instead. Make sure you roll the dough extra thin, stuff the dough, and brush it with olive oil. You must then turn the samosas over so it cooks on both sides in the oven. Serve with your favorite chutney!
CHUTNEY
1 cup chopped cilantro (Chinese parsley)
1/2 cup mint leaves
1 inch piece fresh ginger
1 fresh jalapino pepper, seeded and chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
salt to taste
1 lemon (or lime) juiced
Blender
Add everything to the blender except the lemon juice. Then pour in enough water so that the green leaves can blend easily. You might have to do it in stages, scraping down the sides of the blender with a spatula. After everything is blended, pour the chutney into a bowl and mix in the lemon or lime juice.
