Samoosas

Description
Fried pastry triangles.

Ingredients

 * 6 sheets of ready-prepared filo, each measuring 290 x 235 mm, defrosted if frozen, for each of the fillings. If using both fillings, allow 12 sheets of filo

Meat filling

 * 2 large onions
 * 2 – 3 cloves of garlic
 * 25 g / 1 oz / 2½ cm / 1 inch piece of fresh ginger
 * 1 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil
 * 450 g / 1 lb lean minced (ground) lamb
 * 2 tsp home-made masala or garam masala
 * 1 tbsp mild Malaysian blend of whole seeds and curry spices
 * 1 tsp turmeric
 * 1 - 1½ tsp salt
 * 275 ml / ½ pint / 1¼ cups cold water

Vegetable filling

 * 1 medium onion
 * 1 fresh green chilli, about 5 cm / 2 inches long
 * 1 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil
 * 1 tbsp mild Malaysian blend of whole seeds and curry spices
 * 1 tsp salt
 * 1 tsp turmeric
 * 450 g / 1 lb potatoes, freshly boiled
 * 1 medium cooked carrot
 * 3 tbsp cooked peas
 * salt to taste

Meat filling

 * 1) Peel and finely chop or grate onions.
 * 2) Peel garlic and halve each clove.
 * 3) Peel ginger and cut into pieces.
 * 4) Grind together garlic and ginger to form a coarse puree.
 * 5) Put into a heavy-based pan with the oil and fry gently until light golden brown.
 * 6) Mix in the meat and continue to fry, stirring, until it is well-browned and crumbly.
 * 7) Add all remaining ingredients then bring to the boil and cover.
 * 8) Reduce heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
 * 9) Stir occasionally.
 * 10) Leave to cool before using.

Vegetable filling

 * 1) Peel onion and finely chop or grate.
 * 2) Slit chilli, remove seeds and cut flesh into thin slivers.
 * 3) Put both into a heavy-based pan with the oil and fry gently until light golden brown.
 * 4) Stir in malaysian spice blend, salt and turmeric.
 * 5) Strain potatoes and cut into small cubes.
 * 6) Repeat with carrot.
 * 7) Add both to onion mixture with peas.
 * 8) Season to taste with salt.
 * 9) Cool before using.

To complete

 * 1) Cut each piece of filo pastry in half lengthwise.
 * 2) Put 2 - 3 tablespoons of either the meat or the vegetable filling on to one end of the strip then brush all the pastry edges with cold water.
 * 3) Fold over to form a triangle with filling completely enclosed.
 * 4) Continue to fold strip over and over, from side to side, until all the pastry strip has been used.
 * 5) You should now have a securely wrapped triangular parcel with the filling firmly in place.
 * 6) Deep-fry, about 4 or 5 at a time, in hot sunflower or groundnut oil for about 4 minutes or until deep golden brown.
 * 7) Turn over twice with a spoon, then lift carefully out of pan and drain on crumpled paper towels.
 * 8) Serve hot or warm.