Indian cooking
Samosa (Samosas)

Samosa

Samosas
Vegetarian●●●Origin Punjab/Awadh/DelhiPrep 45 minutes, plus cooling timeCook 15–20 minutesMakes 10

These crisp, golden deep-fried pastry parcels are stuffed with a spiced mixture of potatoes, peas, and green chillies. They offer a savoury, mildly tangy crunch with warm aromatic heat.

Whole spices

2.1 gFried in ghee at the start of the filling (step 3)
01
2.1 g1 teaspoon
spice
Keep whole.

Ground spices for the filling

5 gStirred into the aromatics (step 3)
01
2.6 g1 teaspoon
spice
02
0.8 g¼ teaspoon
spice
03
1.8 g1 teaspoon
spice
Stir together until evenly blended.

Everything else

01
Plain flour · Maidaplus extra for dusting
500 g
flour
02
Vegetable oil · Telfor deep-frying
to taste
oil/fat
03
100 g
vegetable
04
Pea · Matarshelled if fresh
150 g
vegetable
05
53 g4 tablespoons
oil/fat
06
Ginger · Adrakpeeled and finely chopped
24 g1 piece
aromatic
07
Green chilli · Hari Mirchde-seeded and chopped
24–30 g4–5 chillies
vegetable
08
3.6 g1 teaspoon
fruit
09
1 g1 tablespoon
herb
10
to taste
salt

Method

  1. Mix 500 g flour with enough water to form a stiff dough. Divide into 10 equal portions, roll them into smooth balls, and keep covered under a damp cloth.
  2. Boil 100 g unpeeled potato in a pan of water for about 20 minutes until tender, then drain and let cool before stripping the skins and mashing. In another pot of boiling water, cook 150 g pea for 5 to 7 minutes until tender, then drain.
  3. Warm 52.8 g ghee in a deep, heavy pan set over medium heat, drop in the whole spices, and sizzle for 15 seconds. Stir in 24 g ginger, 24–30 g green chilli, the ground spices for the filling, and salt to taste, frying for 1 minute.
  4. Tumble the mashed potato and peas into the pan and stir-fry for 1 minute. Mix in 1 teaspoon pomegranate seeds and 1 g coriander leaf, taste and adjust seasoning, then remove from the heat and let cool before dividing into 10 equal portions.
  5. Dust a work surface with flour and roll each dough ball into a round roughly 12 cm (5 inches) across. Moisten the perimeter with water, spoon a portion of filling onto the centre, fold the pastry over, and pinch firmly around the edges to seal completely.
  6. Fill a deep pan or kadhai with vegetable oil for deep-frying and bring the temperature to 180°C (350°F). Fry the pastries in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes until deep golden brown, then lift out with a slotted spoon to drain on kitchen paper.

Don't have something?

Plain flour
  • Whole wheat flour

    Use the same weight, add 10–15% more water and rest the dough for 20 minutes; the result is heavier and nuttier.

  • Rice flour

    Use the same weight for crisp coatings; for doughs use no more than half rice flour with wheat flour, or it will be crumbly.

  • Cornflour

    For thickening use half the weight, mixed with cold water; it is not suitable for bread or chapati dough.

Vegetable oil
  • Peanut oil

    Use 1:1 by weight. Handles high-heat frying identically and introduces a very subtle, pleasant nuttiness.

  • Ghee

    Use 1:1 by weight. Yields a much richer, authentic aroma and a glossy, heavier mouthfeel.

  • Mustard oil

    Use 1:1 by weight. Heat until smoking, then cool slightly before cooking to temper its intensely pungent, sharp mustard kick.

Potato
  • Eggplant

    Use equal weight. Cut into large chunks; cooks down much faster (10-12 minutes) and softens into the sauce rather than staying starchy and firm.

  • Paneer

    Use 80% of the weight. Cube and add in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking; adds rich dairy protein instead of starchy bulk.

  • Dried chickpea

    Use 45% dry weight. Soak overnight and boil until fully soft before stirring into the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes.

Pea
  • Green pea

    Use equal weight directly from fresh or frozen. Toss into the pan near the end of cooking to preserve sweetness and bright green colour.

  • Chana dal

    Use 70% of the weight, boiled until tender but holding shape. Adds pleasant body and starch, though it lacks the juicy sweetness of fresh peas.

Ghee
  • Unsalted butter

    Use 120% of the weight; melt gently over low heat to avoid burning the milk solids, which will yield a softer, creamier richness rather than a nutty aroma.

  • Vegetable oil

    Use 85% of the weight; holds high cooking temperatures without smoking, but the final dish will lack traditional dairy depth.

  • Mustard oil

    Use equal weight; heat to smoking point and cool slightly before cooking, bearing in mind it introduces an assertive, pungent edge.

Cumin seed
  • Ground cumin

    Use 70% of the weight; add with ground spices or sauce bases rather than hot oil tempering, where it scorches quickly and turns bitter.

  • Black cumin seeds

    Use equal weight for oil tempering. Delivers an earthy profile with an additional musky, smoky, and slightly bitter edge.

  • Fennel seed

    Use 60% of the weight for tempering; offers comparable warm aroma, but leans sweet and liquorice-like rather than savoury and earthy.

Ginger
  • Fresh ginger

    Use equal weight; scrape off the skin and grate or finely julienne according to the recipe.

  • Ginger paste

    Use equal weight; stir straight into the sizzling aromatics, taking care as the extra moisture may spit.

  • Ground ginger

    Use 15 to 20% of the weight; add alongside ground spices, noting it imparts warm, dry heat rather than zesty freshness.

Green chilli
  • Chilli powder

    Use 10 to 15% of the weight (about 1/4 teaspoon per chilli); imparts dry pungent heat and reddens the dish without the grassy crunch.

  • Dried red chilli

    Use 1 dried pod per fresh green chilli; snap in half and temper in hot oil for a deeper, toastier heat.

Chilli powder
  • Red chilli powder

    Use 100% of the weight. Provides direct, sharp heat and red colour in equal measure.

  • Kashmiri chilli powder

    Use 150% to 200% of the weight if matching colour, but add a pinch of black pepper or hot chilli if you need equivalent fiery heat.

  • Cayenne pepper

    Use 75% to 100% of the weight. Offers a sharp, clean heat with slightly less earthy depth and less crimson colour.

Ground turmeric
  • Ground ginger

    Use 50% of the weight. Mimics turmeric's warm, earthy, rhizome background, but provides none of the golden-yellow colour.

  • Saffron

    Steep a tiny pinch (0.1 g per 2 g turmeric) in 2 tbsp warm water; use to match the rich golden hue. Contributes an aristocratic, honeyed floral flavour rather than earthy bitterness.

Ground coriander
  • Coriander seeds

    Dry-roast lightly in a pan and grind to a fine powder; use equal weight (1:1). Offers a noticeably fresher, brighter citrus note.

  • Ground cumin

    Use 50% to 75% of the weight. Lacks the floral, citrusy profile of coriander and turns the gravy heavier, earthier, and darker.

  • Garam masala

    Use 50% of the weight and stir in near the end of cooking. Adds warmth and depth since it contains ground coriander, but introduces stronger spices like clove and cinnamon.

Pomegranate seed
  • Pomegranate

    Use the same weight of seeds from fresh fruit; about one fruit gives 100 g seeds. Deseed carefully.

  • Dried pomegranate seeds

    Use 20% of the weight, soak and crush; they add sourness, not fresh garnish.

  • Green grape

    Use the same weight, halved; good for garnish but less crunchy and less sour.

Coriander leaf
  • Coriander

    Use equal weight finely chopped; this is the exact same fresh herb.

  • Mint

    Use half the weight finely chopped; provides vibrant green freshness, though the flavour profile becomes noticeably cooler and sharper.

Similar dishes

Aloo Tikki Awadhi
Potato & Pea Patties
Aloo Tikki Awadhi tastes tangier and sweeter from the chaat masala and chutney accompaniment, with deeper spice warmth from garam masala rather than the savoury, fried-pastry flavour of this dish.
  • Same: Aloo Tikki Awadhi shares with this dish a core filling of potatoes and peas seasoned with cumin seeds, fresh ginger, green chillies, chilli powder, and ground coriander.
  • Different: Instead of being enclosed in deep-fried pastry, Aloo Tikki Awadhi is shaped into griddled patties with far more potato, omits ground turmeric, and adds garam masala, chaat masala, and sweet mango chutney.
Aloo Matar Sookhe
Potatoes with Peas
It has a juicier, tomato-sweet and gently spiced profile instead of the rich, ginger-forward heat and crisp, deep-fried crunch of this dish.
  • Same: Aloo Matar Sookhe shares a core base of potatoes and peas seasoned with cumin seeds, green chillies, turmeric, fresh coriander, and ghee.
  • Different: Aloo Matar Sookhe is cooked as a dry, open-pan vegetable dish with tomatoes and mustard seeds, omitting the deep-fried pastry exterior as well as the ginger, chilli powder, and ground coriander used here.
Aloo Matar Rasedar
Potatoes & Peas in Sauce
It is saucier and tangier from the cooked tomatoes, lacking the crisp fried crunch and sharp ginger heat of this dish.
  • Same: Aloo Matar Rasedar shares the core combination of potatoes and peas seasoned with cumin seeds, ground coriander, and chilli powder.
  • Different: Instead of being enclosed in deep-fried pastry with ginger and green chillies, Aloo Matar Rasedar is simmered as a saucy stew using tomatoes, asafoetida, cloves, and Kashmiri garam masala.
Singhara
Bengali Samosas
Singhara tastes more pungent and savory from the onion and garlic base, while this dish offers sharper fresh heat from green chillies and a rich, buttery undertone from ghee.
  • Same: Singhara is also a deep-fried pastry parcel filled with spiced potatoes and peas seasoned with cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chilli powder.
  • Different: Singhara includes onion and garlic paste using only vegetable oil, whereas this dish uses ghee, fresh green chillies, coriander leaves, and a higher proportion of peas.