Samosa recipes are rather like spring roll recipes, they are passed down through families and no two are alike, so there's a wealth of choice of fillings.
Indians love to eat samosas, usually as a snack, often in the street, but they make a lovely starter to either an Indian or a Western meal.
You can fill a samosa with anything - ground meat, vegetables, even fish.
You can really use any vegetables you like as long as they don't let out a lot of water, such as tomatoes, but the following is a fairly traditional samosa recipe using peas and potatoes.
When choosing your samosa recipe, having decided on meat or veg, there's the pastry to consider.
Do you want to make your own pastry, buy shortcrust and roll it very thin or use frozen filo pastry (which is my favourite for both ease and a nice crunch when baked in the oven).
The other advantage of the filo pastry option is that it is low fat, whereas the others involve frying.
The Pastry Put 225g (½ lb) plain flour in the bowl of a food processor with ½ tsp salt and 4 tbsp vegetable oil.
Process on a high setting until the mixture has the appearance of breadcrumbs.
While processing at a medium speed, add 4 tbsp water, very gradually as you may not need all of it, through the chimney of the processor.
The dough should be drawn together in a ball but not sticky.
Exchange the cutting blade for the dough hook and process on medium for 2 - 3 minutes.
Of course you can do all the above by hand, if you wish, in which case you'll need to knead the dough for about 10 minutes.
The dough should end up as a smooth ball, which you should then brush with a little vegetable oil, wrap in cling film and leave for about half an hour, meanwhile make the filling of your choice.
Knead the dough again and divide it into 8, making balls with your hands.
Roll the first ball until it is about 7 inch in diameter then cut it in half.
Take one half and make it into a cone, overlapping the "seam" by about a ¼ inch and sticking it down with water.
Fill the cone with your chosen mixture and close the top seam, again by using a little water.
Make the remaining 7 samosas in the same way.
Heat enough oil to deep fry the samosas and fry as many as will fit the pan at one time, turning frequently until crisp and golden.
Drain on kitchen paper.
The Filling Boil 725g (1lb 10oz) potatoes in their skins and allow to cool, then peel and cut into small cubes.
Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a large frying pan and add a finely chopped medium onion, frying until it starts turning brown.
Add 175g (6 oz) peas (defrosted, if frozen), 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger, 1 finely chopped hot green chilli, 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander and 3 tbsp water.
Cover and simmer until the peas are cooked, stirring occasionally.
Add extra water, if the mixture gets too dry.
Add the potatoes, salt to taste, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds (dry roast in a non-stick frying pan and grind in a pestle and mortar or coffee grinder), ¼ tsp cayenne pepper and lemon juice to taste (about 2tbsp).
Mix and cook for a few minutes, stirring.
Check and adjust seasoning and allow to cool.
Indians love to eat samosas, usually as a snack, often in the street, but they make a lovely starter to either an Indian or a Western meal.
You can fill a samosa with anything - ground meat, vegetables, even fish.
You can really use any vegetables you like as long as they don't let out a lot of water, such as tomatoes, but the following is a fairly traditional samosa recipe using peas and potatoes.
When choosing your samosa recipe, having decided on meat or veg, there's the pastry to consider.
Do you want to make your own pastry, buy shortcrust and roll it very thin or use frozen filo pastry (which is my favourite for both ease and a nice crunch when baked in the oven).
The other advantage of the filo pastry option is that it is low fat, whereas the others involve frying.
The Pastry Put 225g (½ lb) plain flour in the bowl of a food processor with ½ tsp salt and 4 tbsp vegetable oil.
Process on a high setting until the mixture has the appearance of breadcrumbs.
While processing at a medium speed, add 4 tbsp water, very gradually as you may not need all of it, through the chimney of the processor.
The dough should be drawn together in a ball but not sticky.
Exchange the cutting blade for the dough hook and process on medium for 2 - 3 minutes.
Of course you can do all the above by hand, if you wish, in which case you'll need to knead the dough for about 10 minutes.
The dough should end up as a smooth ball, which you should then brush with a little vegetable oil, wrap in cling film and leave for about half an hour, meanwhile make the filling of your choice.
Knead the dough again and divide it into 8, making balls with your hands.
Roll the first ball until it is about 7 inch in diameter then cut it in half.
Take one half and make it into a cone, overlapping the "seam" by about a ¼ inch and sticking it down with water.
Fill the cone with your chosen mixture and close the top seam, again by using a little water.
Make the remaining 7 samosas in the same way.
Heat enough oil to deep fry the samosas and fry as many as will fit the pan at one time, turning frequently until crisp and golden.
Drain on kitchen paper.
The Filling Boil 725g (1lb 10oz) potatoes in their skins and allow to cool, then peel and cut into small cubes.
Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a large frying pan and add a finely chopped medium onion, frying until it starts turning brown.
Add 175g (6 oz) peas (defrosted, if frozen), 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger, 1 finely chopped hot green chilli, 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander and 3 tbsp water.
Cover and simmer until the peas are cooked, stirring occasionally.
Add extra water, if the mixture gets too dry.
Add the potatoes, salt to taste, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds (dry roast in a non-stick frying pan and grind in a pestle and mortar or coffee grinder), ¼ tsp cayenne pepper and lemon juice to taste (about 2tbsp).
Mix and cook for a few minutes, stirring.
Check and adjust seasoning and allow to cool.