Vegetable Samosas with Cilantro-Mint Chutney
By America's Test KitchenPublished on January 27, 2022
Time
2 hours, plus 1¼ hours chilling and resting
Yield
Serves 8 (Makes 24 samosas)
Ingredients
Filling
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces1 teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking potatoes3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds ¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 onion, chopped fine 3 garlic cloves, minced1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger ½ cup frozen peas, thawed¼ cup minced fresh cilantro 1½ teaspoons lemon juiceDough
2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon table salt 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons plain whole-milk yogurt 4–6 tablespoons ice water 3 quarts vegetable oil for fryingBefore You Begin
You will need a Dutch oven that holds at least 6 quarts for this recipe. A spider skimmer comes in handy when frying the samosas. It is important to use ice water in the dough to prevent it from overheating in the food processor. Serve with Cilantro-Mint Chutney.
Instructions
- For the filling Place potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt in large saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring water to boil, then reduce heat to maintain simmer and cook until potatoes are tender and paring knife can be inserted into potatoes with little resistance, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside to cool slightly.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add fennel seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek, turmeric, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Stir in onion and salt and cook until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in potatoes and cook until beginning to brown around edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in peas.
- Transfer mixture to bowl; let cool completely; then refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hour. Stir in cilantro and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. (Filling can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; reserve cilantro and lemon juice and stir in before shaping samosas.)
- For the dough: Pulse flour and salt in food processor until combined, about 4 pulses. Drizzle 3 tablespoons oil and yogurt over flour mixture and process until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 5 seconds. With processor running, slowly add ¼ cup ice water until dough forms ball. If dough doesn't come together, add remaining 2 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, with processor running, until dough ball forms. Dough should feel very soft and malleable.
- Transfer dough to floured counter and knead by hand until slightly firm, about 2 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let rest for at least 20 minutes. (Dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
- Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll dough into 5-inch rounds; keep dough pieces covered with greased plastic wrap when not working with them. Cut each dough round in half to form 24 half-moons.
- Moisten straight side of 1 half-moon with your wet finger, then fold in half. Press to seal seam on straight side only and crimp with fork to secure; leave rounded edge open and unsealed. Pick up piece of dough and hold gently in your cupped hand, with open, unsealed edge facing up; gently open dough into cone shape. Fill dough cone with 2 tablespoons filling and pack filling in tightly, leaving ¼-inch rim at top. Moisten inside rim of cone with your wet finger and pinch top edges together to seal. Lay samosa on flat surface and crimp sealed edge with fork to secure. Repeat with remaining half-moons and remaining filling.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with several layers of paper towels and set aside. Heat 3 quarts oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Add 8 samosas and fry until golden brown and bubbly, 2½ to 3 minutes, adjusting burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature of 375 degrees. Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer samosas to prepared sheet and keep warm in oven. Return oil to 375 degrees and repeat with remaining samosas in 2 batches. Serve.
Time
2 hours, plus 1¼ hours chilling and restingYield
Serves 8 (Makes 24 samosas)Ingredients
Filling
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking potatoes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
1½ teaspoons lemon juice
Dough
2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons plain whole-milk yogurt
4–6 tablespoons ice water
3 quarts vegetable oil for frying
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Filling
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking potatoes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
1½ teaspoons lemon juice
Dough
2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons plain whole-milk yogurt
4–6 tablespoons ice water
3 quarts vegetable oil for frying
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Filling
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking potatoes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
1½ teaspoons lemon juice
Dough
2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons plain whole-milk yogurt
4–6 tablespoons ice water
3 quarts vegetable oil for frying
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
First build a fragrant flavor base of fennel, cumin, mustard seed, fenugreek, turmeric, and pepper flakes in a skillet. Then add onion, ginger, and garlic and stir in chunks of parcooked potato to let their edges crisp and brown. Peas, cilantro, and lemon juice round out the flavors. Adding a generous amount of vegetable oil and some yogurt to the dough makes it nice and elastic so that it can easily be packed with filling; plus, the fat helps the crust turn out crispy and golden when fried. Whole fennel and cumin seeds bring great texture to the filling; however, you can substitute ½ teaspoon of ground fennel and ½ teaspoon of ground cumin. Likewise, whole-milk yogurt makes a richer, flakier dough and a more balanced chutney, but you can substitute low-fat yogurt (do not use nonfat).
Before You Begin
You will need a Dutch oven that holds at least 6 quarts for this recipe. A spider skimmer comes in handy when frying the samosas. It is important to use ice water in the dough to prevent it from overheating in the food processor. Serve with Cilantro-Mint Chutney.
Instructions
- For the filling Place potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt in large saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring water to boil, then reduce heat to maintain simmer and cook until potatoes are tender and paring knife can be inserted into potatoes with little resistance, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside to cool slightly.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add fennel seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek, turmeric, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Stir in onion and salt and cook until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in potatoes and cook until beginning to brown around edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in peas.
- Transfer mixture to bowl; let cool completely; then refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hour. Stir in cilantro and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. (Filling can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; reserve cilantro and lemon juice and stir in before shaping samosas.)
- For the dough: Pulse flour and salt in food processor until combined, about 4 pulses. Drizzle 3 tablespoons oil and yogurt over flour mixture and process until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 5 seconds. With processor running, slowly add ¼ cup ice water until dough forms ball. If dough doesn't come together, add remaining 2 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, with processor running, until dough ball forms. Dough should feel very soft and malleable.
- Transfer dough to floured counter and knead by hand until slightly firm, about 2 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let rest for at least 20 minutes. (Dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
- Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll dough into 5-inch rounds; keep dough pieces covered with greased plastic wrap when not working with them. Cut each dough round in half to form 24 half-moons.
- Moisten straight side of 1 half-moon with your wet finger, then fold in half. Press to seal seam on straight side only and crimp with fork to secure; leave rounded edge open and unsealed. Pick up piece of dough and hold gently in your cupped hand, with open, unsealed edge facing up; gently open dough into cone shape. Fill dough cone with 2 tablespoons filling and pack filling in tightly, leaving ¼-inch rim at top. Moisten inside rim of cone with your wet finger and pinch top edges together to seal. Lay samosa on flat surface and crimp sealed edge with fork to secure. Repeat with remaining half-moons and remaining filling.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with several layers of paper towels and set aside. Heat 3 quarts oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Add 8 samosas and fry until golden brown and bubbly, 2½ to 3 minutes, adjusting burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature of 375 degrees. Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer samosas to prepared sheet and keep warm in oven. Return oil to 375 degrees and repeat with remaining samosas in 2 batches. Serve.
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