SAMOSA (TAMARIND POHA SAMOSA)

Samosa  is a fried or baked  pastry with a savory filling, such as spiced  potatoes, onions, peas, lentils, ground lamb, ground beef or ground chicken. Its size and consistency may vary, but typically, it is distinctly triangular. Samosas are often accompanied by sweet chutney or green chutney or sauce.   

Since so many days I wanted to try samosas at home but really did not take the pain to do so.  But made an attempt to prepare this when I had some left out Brown Chana Sundal with me prepared during Navrathri, and the tamarind poha which my neighbour gave me as Prasadam.  Since I do not want to waste the both the dishes, I tried on the samosa and it was really awesome.

Ingredients

For samosa covering:

1 cup maida / plain four
1 tbs  ghee
1/2 teaspoon ajwain
water for mixing
salt as required

cooking oil for frying

Method

1.      Mix flour, ghee, ajwain,  and salt together.

2.      Add water and knead until smooth and elastic ( dough should be firm.) 

3.      Store in an airtight container for 30 minutes, knead well once again.

4.      Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Make a ball and  make puris out of it. 

5.       Cut it into two parts.

6.      Fold each part in a triangle shape.

7.      Fill the  poha mixture in it and seal  the sides with the help of water.

8.      Continue the process with the remaining dough and make all the samosas and keep

9.      Heat oil, when it is just hot, add the full batch of samosas in it

1  You will see small small bubbles coming up.

1  Deep fry samosas till is crisp and golden in colour. 

1  Serve it with sweet and sour chutney, green chutney or sauce as you wish.

How to make tamarind poha (Filling)

Ingredients:

1.      1 cup poha (thick poha)

2.      3 tbsp tamarind pulp (thick pulp)  puliyogare mix.

3.      Salt to taste, if required.

4.      Tempering:  1 tsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds

Method:

1.      Grind the poha in a mixer to a fine powder.

2.      Add 3-4 tbsp water in the puliyogare mix

3.      Add this mixture  little by little to get the poha soaked in  the puliyogare mix. 

4.      The process is to ensure that you get a powdered form stuffing.

5.      Heat oil in kadai and add mustard seeds

6.      When it splutters, add this into the poha mix and mix well.

Note:  If you are using tamarind pulp, temper with mustard seeds and add the tamarind pulp, turmeric powder, little salt and cook the same till the raw smell goes off, cool it and add to the powdered poha.

Note:  This can be served as tamarind poha for breakfast.

Puliyogare mix is having the masalas in it, but still if you want, you can add bit of garam masala, or chopped green chilli or chilli powder.

I made today mini samosas with the left over  Brown Chana Sundal.  I just crushed them in the mixture.  Heated one tsp oil and added the crushed chana in it, added little bit red chilli powder and garam masala, chopped coriander leaves.  Cool  and fill it in the samosa cover.  Tell you really it was yummy.  I made around 4-5 samosas which from inside was slightly uncooked.  But when I made  the second time,  it was really yummy and perfect. 

IMPORTANT:

Frying technique:

The technique was told to me by one of my colleague that when the oil is just hot, you must put the samosas in it and cook them in  sim flame to get crispy samosas and it was real success.

You can also bake them by brushing little oil on it in 160 degree for 15-20 minutes. Since the functions of the microwave differs on brand to brand, you have to adjust the timings and see whether it is cooked or not properly.

Baked samosas with wheat flour

baked samosas with maida