» Recipes » Snacks Recipes
Samosa - The Best Aloo Samosa Recipe from Punjab
Vegetarian
One of the most famous street food snacks in North Indian cuisine is the flaky and crispy fried Samosa. They have a crust that resembles pastry and are filled with green peas and savory, seasoned potatoes for a filling, delectable snack. You can create the flakiest, tastiest, and finest Punjabi samosa or aloo samosa from home with the aid of this step-by-step recipe guide!
Samosa Recipe Information
What makes this homemade samosa recipe the best? Your potatoes and peas samosa will be substantial with a delightfully flaky, crispy top thanks to my easy directions.
I prepare my dough with a little less water than some other recipes, which results in a flakier and more irresistible samosa crust. (I also make samosa pie using this technique; it's a wonderful non-fried alternative to the regular samosa.)
This Punjabi Samosa's stuffing is also really excellent. It is quite simple to prepare using an Instant Pot and a skillet on the stove or a stovetop pressure cooker.
A warm, filling stuffing made of green peas, potatoes, and traditional Indian spices will keep you coming back for more.
This dish is a true winner with a delicious crust and a warm filling! If you give it a try, you'll be surprised at how easy and enjoyable it is to prepare homemade samosa recipes.
A Punjabi Samosa is what this dish is all about, and it will always be one of our personal favorites. My culinary school notes were used to create the traditional potato and green peas stuffing in this recipe.
Additionally, I created a video that demonstrates how to form, fill, and deep-fry an aloo samosa. If the pictures are insufficient, you may watch the movie.
Detailed Instructions
Creating Samosas
The greatest Punjabi Samosa recipe is detailed in the step-by-step tutorial with the images below.
Making the pastry dough and savory filling comes first. The Aloo Samosa may then be put together, fried, and enjoyed with your favorite chutneys and dipping sauces!
Prepare the Veggies
1. The potatoes and peas for the savory and spicy filling must be cooked first.
To prepare the potatoes and peas in a pressure cooker on the hob: In a 3 or 4-liter pressure cooker, add 3 medium-sized whole potatoes (300 to 450 grams) and 2 to 2.5 cups water. Carefully place a small trivet and pressure cooker-safe bowl with 1/2 cup of green peas on top of the potatoes. On a medium-high burner, pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles, or for 7 to 8 minutes.
When using an Instant Pot: 3 medium-sized whole potatoes should be added.
Put three medium-sized whole potatoes in the steel insert of a 6 quart IP if using an Instant Pot. Add two glasses of water. After setting a trivet on top of the potatoes, place a bowl containing 1/2 cup of green peas on top of the trivet. Cook on high pressure for 20–25 minutes.
2. After all of the pressure in the stovetop pressure cooker has been completely released, replace the cover.
After five to seven minutes, quickly release the pressure in the Instant Pot. If you have a knife or fork, check the potatoes to see if they are cooked through.
If the potatoes are cooked properly, a knife or fork should easily slip through.
If the potatoes are undercooked, use the pressure cook feature to cook them for a few minutes longer. Drain the potatoes and peas in a colander and set them aside to cool.
Spices, both roasted and powdered
3. Roast or toast the spices next. This will aid in the release of their flavors and should not be overlooked!
Add the following spices to a small frying pan over low heat:
12" cinnamon stick
1 optional clove
1 cardamom, green
three black peppercorns
12 tsp cumin seeds
12 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
Heat the spices for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
4. Take the spices from the stove and set aside to cool fully. Place them in a spice grinder or small mixer-grinder jar to grind.
5. Set aside the roasted spices after grinding them to a semi-fine powder.
If you don't have time to roast and ground the spices, I have a solution for you.
In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons ground coriander (coriander powder), 12 teaspoon ground cumin (cumin powder), 12 teaspoon ground fennel (fennel powder), and 12 teaspoon garam masala powder.
When the green peas and remaining ground spices are added in step 9, add this prepared spice combination.
Prepare the Potato Stuffing
6. Remove the peel from the cooked potatoes and cut them into 12 to 1-inch pieces.
7. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet. Reduce the heat to low after the oil has reached a medium temperature.
12 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted till aromatic. I chose mustard oil since it gives a lot of flavor to the filling. You can use a neutral oil such as sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, or canola oil.
8. Reduce to low heat and stir in 1 teaspoon finely chopped or minced ginger and 2 tablespoons finely chopped green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds, or until the raw ginger fragrance fades.
9. You may now turn off the flame or keep it low. Then stir in the cooked green peas, 12 teaspoons red chili powder, 1 pinch asafoetida (hing), the dry ground spice mix, and 1 to 2 teaspoons dry mango powder (amchur).
The tangy flavor of the mango powder blends so beautifully with the savory, spicy flavors of the other stuffing components in the Punjabi Samosa filling.
10. Stir everything together and cook for a minute. Depending on your preferences, you can add less or more dried mango powder.
I used two teaspoons since one teaspoon was not enough to sour flavor for me.
11. To the skillet, add potato cubes, salt to taste, and 1 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves (also known as cilantro).
12. Combine well and sauté for 1 minute. Taste and adjust with extra spices, salt, or dry mango powder as desired.
While you create the dough, cover and set aside the filling.
Prepare the Samosa Pastry Dough
13. Combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour (250 grams), 1 teaspoon of carom seeds, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 6 tablespoons of ghee (50 grams) in a large mixing basin.
14. Combine the ingredients with your fingertips until they form a breadcrumb-like texture that keeps its shape when you press a section of the mixture.
15. Then, working in small increments, add 7 to 8 tablespoons of water and knead.
If the dough appears floury or dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water.
16. Knead the dough until it is hard and tight. It should not be sticky or soft. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes, covered with a wet kitchen towel.
Add a few tablespoons of flour if your dough gets too wet or sticky. Mix and knead until a solid dough forms.
Assemble and Form
17. Divide the dough into 6 to 7 even pieces when it has rested. To smooth and soften each piece, gently roll it in your palms first. Set it on your work area or a rolling board.
18. Roll it with a rolling pin, keeping the thickness consistent at 1 mm and not too thin.
19. Cut the rolled pastry dough through the center with a knife or pastry cutter.
20. Gently flatten the half-moon form with a rolling pin to make it even.
21. Using a pastry brush, gently wash the dough around all of the edges with water.
22. Fold the straight-edged side together to make a cone, as illustrated in the illustration below. Make care to press the corners firmly to seal them!
The potato and pea mixture is now ready to be packed into the cone.
23. Spoon and put the prepared potato and pea stuffing into the cone with care.
To avoid the samosa from bursting during the frying process, do not overfill or underfill.
24. Crimp and crimp the edges as indicated in the illustration below to shut. This allows the samosa to stand after it is prepared.
25. Evenly press all of the edges, making sure the dough is free of cracks. The sides should be tightly covered so that the filling does not escape when cooking.
Prepare all of the samosas as directed above, then cover them with a damp kitchen serviette to prevent them from drying out.
Deep-Fried Samosa
The final step in producing the tastiest samosa is to cook them until they are crisp and golden brown.
Deep fry with any neutral-flavored oil, such as sunflower oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, safflower oil, or grapeseed oil.
26. In a kadai or pan, heat the oil for deep frying. Test the oil by dropping a little piece of dough into it; if the oil is hot enough for frying, it should rise fast.
When the oil is medium-hot, carefully slip 3 to 4 of the prepared stuffed samosas into it, then immediately decrease the heat to low.
To ensure that they all fry evenly, don't overcrowd the pan!
27. Fry them on moderate to medium-low heat, keeping an eye on them to prevent them from burning.
28. When one side is pale brown, flip each samosa over with tongs or a slotted spoon or skimmer and continue cooking.
You will need to flip the pan many times for even cooking. Turn them gently and carefully since they are heavy and oil may pour out.
It takes a long time to fry them, so stay cool and patient!
29. Fry each aloo samosa till crisp and brown on both sides. When the samosas are properly cooked, the oil will cease sizzling. They will crisp up and get golden.
30. Remove the fried samosas from the pan with a skimmer spoon or spider spoon and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Repeat the frying processes with the remaining Aloo Samosa batches. When you start frying the following batches, lower the heat. While frying the samosas, adjust the heat as needed.
31. Serve Punjabi Samosa hot, heated, or at room temperature with coriander or tamarind chutney or spicy tomato ketchup.
In India, the combination of Aloo Samosa with masala chai is delicious.
They can also be served with chana masala. This meal is commonly known as samosa chole. Samosa Chaat is another famous chaat snack prepared using potato samosa.
Variations on Samosa Stuffing
The stuffing for samosas varies greatly based on area and state in India.
1. Potatoes alone or a mix of peas and potatoes are popular in Delhi and Punjab, where the potatoes or peas are not crushed or mashed. The potato cubes are nicely cooked but still in form, with a few green chili chunks in the filling. This stuffing has a sour taste due to the use of dry mango powder or dry pomegranate powder. A couple extra spices are also added.
2. In other varieties, raisins are included, giving the samosa a sweet-sour flavor. Cashews are occasionally used for crunch.
3. In other varieties, raisins are included, giving the samosa a sweet-sour flavor. Cashews are occasionally used for crunch.
4. In other locations, the filling is completely crushed and heavily spiced.
5. If the green chilies are not included in the filling, they are normally served separately.
Some folks add ginger-garlic paste, and I've found chopped carrots in the stuffing on a few odd instances.
6. There is also a variant with mixed veggies. Peas, carrots, cauliflower, and potatoes are among the vegetables incorporated.
7. Another variety is onion samosa, which is packed with a spicy combination of onions and poha (flattened rice).
8. Sweet samosas are also prepared with khoya (mawa), almonds, and dried fruits. This is often prepared during holidays such as Diwali or Holi. They're also known as khoya samosas or dried fruit samosas.
9. Paneer cubes are added to the stuffing in a variant.
10. A cocktail samosa is a tiny samosa with a dry filling of spices, almonds, and dried fruits.
Expert Advice
So you're probably wondering what the ideal amounts of components in the pastry dough should be, as well as the proper frying procedure, to achieve that flaky and crispy crust in the aloo samosa recipe. I go through it in detail for you.
1. Fat proportion
In a samosa pastry dough, the amount of fat (which we call "moyen or moyan" in Hindi) must be in the exact proportion. One of my culinary expert friends always recommends adding 15 parts fat to 1 part flour in weight.
For example, add 200 grams of fat to 1 kilogram of flour. I retained the same 15 percent fat percentage in this recipe, which is 50 grams for 250 grams of flour.
2. Double frying
This is a little longer process that I recommend you attempt if you have lots of time to make samosas. In this procedure, you must first softly fry the samosas without allowing them to get brown - just the dough should seem cooked.
Remove the samosas from the heated oil when the crust has turned opaque and creamish white. Fry until gently browned so that they do not break when removed. Place them aside. Then reduce the heat of the oil and continue to cook the samosas until golden.
The final samosa will be crisp and flaky on the exterior and well-cooked on the inside, much like the ones you get at Indian sweet shops, with no air pockets on the crust.
Making Potato Samosa in an Air Fryer
Try preparing samosas in an air fryer if you have one. The texture of the air-fried samosa will pleasantly surprise you. They taste similar to fried ones but without the added oil.
Preheat the air fryer for 10 minutes @ 180° C/356° F. Brush them gently with oil and air-fry them at 180° C/356° F till golden.
FAQs
I've created a list of responses to questions posed by readers in the comments.
Can I use whole wheat flour to make samosas?
You certainly can. In fact, many Indian recipes that call for all-purpose flour may be simply adapted to utilize whole wheat flour. Just keep in mind that whole wheat flour absorbs more water than white flour.
However, when using whole wheat flour, the crust may become thick and not be as flaky as when using all-purpose flour.
What if I don't have amchur? Is there another option?
1 teaspoon of lemon juice should be added to the potato filling. Add 2 tablespoons of dried pomegranate powder if you have it.
Is it possible to freeze samosa?
You may put them in the freezer. Shape them and then freeze them, or cook them until the crust becomes opaque and then freeze them. They will stay better for a longer period of time in this manner.
Allow the samosas to come to room temperature before frying. If they are cooked when still cold, they absorb more oil.
Why are there air gaps on my samosa?
A few air pockets are OK, but the outside fried crust should not be completely coated with air pockets. When the dough is soft, air pockets form on the crust.
Too much moisture in the dough softens the crust and creates a lot of air pockets. If the oil is excessively hot when frying, air pockets emerge on the crust.
Can I use puff pastry sheets, spring roll wrappers, or phyllo sheets to create samosas?
1. Bake samosas if using puff pastry sheets. You can even air-fried your food.
2. You can either fry or bake spring roll wrappers.
3. Bake them using phyllo dough sheets.
Is it okay to use onions in the stuffing?
Onions and garlic are rarely used in traditional Punjabi samosa recipes. However, we can always create our own alternatives and be inventive. If you wish, you may add onions and garlic.
The onions and garlic will significantly alter the flavor of the filling. In fact, there is a variation in which the primary component in the stuffing is onion, which is a famous street snack known as onion samosa.
Why have my fried samosas become mushy and soggy?
Samosas might soften for two reasons. Either the dough is too soft or the oil is too hot when cooking.
When kneading the dough, make sure it's tight and firm. It should not be as soft as bread dough or roti dough.
What is the recipe for the fried green chiles that come with the Punjabi Samosa?
The first procedure involves slicing the green chilies while keeping them whole. Deep fry or shallow fried them till they have a few light golden blisters on them.
After that, put some salt on top of the fried green chilies and combine. You may also add chaat masala or amchur powder.
The second way is to pack sliced green chilies with a combination of amchur powder (dry mango powder) and salt. Serve immediately after shallow frying.
How long can I keep samosas in the fridge?
It may easily be stored at room temperature for a couple of hours. If you don't intend to consume them, keep them in an airtight box (dabba) in the fridge. When ready to serve, reheat them on a tawa or in the oven.
What should I do with the remaining samosas?
Warm it on a griddle or in the oven till warm (at 170° Celsius in a preheated oven) and serve with bread, pav (dinner rolls), or roti. The delicious Indian street cuisine samosa chaat is a terrific way to use them up.
How do you create a vegan samosa?
Yes. To make a vegan samosa, prepare the dough crust with a neutral-tasting oil rather than ghee (clarified butter).
Can I cook samosas in the oven?
You can, of course, air-fried them. Please read the section on air-frying that I mentioned above.
Is it possible to bake aloo samosa?
Without a doubt, yes. Bake at 180° C/356° F for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the crust turns crisp and golden. Preheat the oven to the same temperature for 10 minutes before baking.
Samosa | Best Punjabi Aloo Samosa Recipe
By VC Recipe Diary
A Samosa recipethis is your popular and conventional Punjabi Samosa (or Aloo Samosa) with a terrific flaky, crispy crust and a savory, tangy potato and green peas filling. you may also pick out to air-fry or bake these samosas in place of deep frying.
A Samosa recipe
Prep Time45
Cook Time45
Total Time1 30
Ingredients
For making samosas▢2 cups all-purpose flour (maida), 250 grams
▢1 teaspoon of carambola seeds
▢Add 1 teaspoon of salt or to taste
▢6 tablespoons of ghee (clarified butter), 50 grams
▢ Add 7 to 8 tablespoons of water or to taste
For cooking potatoes and peas
▢ 3 medium potatoes, 300-350 grams or 3 cups chopped boiled potatoes
▢½ cup green peas - 180 grams, fresh peas can be used - frozen
▢2 cups of water - for steaming
Excipients
▢1 tablespoon oil - I used mustard oil.You can use sunflower, canola and grapeseed oil
▢½ teaspoon cumin seeds
▢1 teaspoon ginger - 1 inch finely chopped or peeled ginger
▢2 teaspoons finely chopped green chilies or 2 teaspoons finely chopped serrano chilies or 1-2 green chilies
▢½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
▢1 pinch Asafoetida (Hing) – optional
▢1-2 teaspoons dry mango powder (amchur)
▢ Salt of your choice
▢1 tablespoon coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped
▢1 tablespoon oil - I used mustard oil.You can use sunflower, canola and grapeseed oil
▢½ teaspoon cumin seeds
▢1 teaspoon ginger - 1 inch finely chopped or peeled ginger
▢2 teaspoons finely chopped green chilies or 2 teaspoons finely chopped serrano chilies or 1-2 green chilies
▢½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
▢1 pinch Asafoetida (Hing) – optional
▢1-2 teaspoons dry mango powder (amchur)
▢ Salt of your choice
▢1 tablespoon coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped
▢Oil for frying - neutral flavored oil at your discretion
whole spices for grinding
▢½ inch cinnamon
▢1 eyelet - optional
▢3 black peppercorns
▢1 green cardamom
▢½ teaspoon cumin seeds
▢½ teaspoon of fennel seeds
▢2 teaspoons coriander seeds
Instructions
Making The Samosa Pastry Dough
- Take the flour, carom seeds, salt in a bowl. Mix well and add ghee.
- With your fingertips rub the ghee or oil in the flour to get a breadcrumb like consistency.
- The whole mixture should clump together when joined and not fall apart.
- Add water in parts and knead to a firm dough.
- If the dough looks dry or floury, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons more water and knead.
- Cover the dough with a moistened napkin and set aside for 30 minutes.
Making Potato And Peas Stuffing
- Steam or boil the potatoes and peas till are cooked completely. Drain them of any extra water in a colander or sieve.
- Peel the boiled potatoes and chop them into small cubes
- Dry roast all the whole spices mentioned in the above list until fragrant taking care not to burn them.
- When the spices are warm or cool at room temperature, grind them in a dry grinder or coffee grinder to a semi-fine or fine powder.
- Heat oil in a pan. add the cumin seeds and crackle them.
- Add the ginger and green chilies. Sauté for a few seconds until the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
- Add the steamed green peas, red chili powder, freshly ground spice powder, dry mango powder, and asafoetida.
- Stir and sauté on low heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the potato cubes. Mix very well and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes on low heat with frequent stirring.
- Set aside the potato filling aside to cool at room temperature.
Assembling & Shaping Samosa
- After resting the dough for 30 minutes, divide the dough in 6 equal pieces.
- Take each piece and roll in your palms first to make a smooth ball.
- Then roll it with a rolling pin keeping the thickness to 1 mm throughout.
- Cut with a knife or a pastry cutter through the center of the rolled samosa pastry.
- With a brush or with your fingertips, spread some water all over the edges.
- Join the two straight ends forming a cone shape.
- Press the edges so that they get sealed well.
- Stuff the prepared samosa cone with the prepared potato-peas stuffing.
- Pinch a part on the edge (check the video & photos). This helps the samosa to stand once it is shaped.
- Press both edges. Be sure there are no cracks.
- Prepare all the samosa this way and keep covered with a moist kitchen napkin.
Frying Samosa
- Now heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. Once the oil becomes hot (test by adding a small piece of dough – it should come up quickly once added to the hot oil).Gently slide the prepared stuffed samosa & quickly reduce the flame to low.
- Turn over in between and fry until golden. Drain the fried samosa on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Fry them in batches. For frying the second batch, again increase the temperature of the oil to medium heat. Do not overcrowd the pan while frying.
- Add the samosa and then lower the flame, thereby decreasing the temperature of oil.
- This way fry all the samosa in batches.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve samosa hot or warm with coriander chutney, tamarind chutney, or tomato ketchup.
- They can also be served with a yogurt dip or plain raita. Another way is to serve it with chana masala (chickpea curry).
- We usually pair samosa with masala chai or ginger chai.
- Even bread or pav (Indian bread rolls) can be served with it.
- Whatever you serve samosa with, remember to have hot masala chai with it.
Notes
Ingredient Swaps
- Roasting whole spices: If you are short of time to roast and grind the whole spices, then in a small bowl, simply mix 2 teaspoons ground coriander (coriander powder), ½ teaspoon ground cumin (cumin powder), ½ teaspoon ground fennel (fennel powder) and ½ teaspoon garam masala powder. Add this prepared spice mix at the step when the green peas and remaining ground spices are added while making the stuffing mixture.
- Dry mango powder: Replace mango powder with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or 2 teaspoons of dry pomegranate powder.
- Green peas: Simply skip if you do not have these.
- Asafoetida: Skip it completely if you cannot find asafoetida in your city.
- All-purpose flour: You can use pastry flour and even whole wheat flour. You may need to add more water when using whole wheat flour.
- Ghee: Replace ghee with a neutral-tasting oil.
0 Comments