Potato-filled Samosas

Description

The dumpling of India, and one of the best, because the dough, which is made with butter and yogurt, is rich and tangy. Traditionally, it is made by cutting the cold butter into bits and rubbing it and the flour very quickly between your fingers: Pick it up, rub it, and drop it. (If the mixture begins to feel greasy, refrigerate it for a few minutes before proceeding.) The food processor may not be as charming, but it's much easier. Take your pick.

Samosas are usually deep-fried, but you can bake them: Just place them on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 350°F for twenty to thirty minutes, until golden brown. Don't think of this as a compromise, either: Baked samosas are terrific.

• Contributed by Catsrecipes Y-Group
• Source: How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
• Typed by: Susan alexanderjamesmom@gmail.com
• Time: at least 1 hour
• Makes 20 to 30, enough for 5 to 10 people

Ingredients

• about 1¼ lbs baking potatoes, such as Idaho or russet
• 2 cups (about 9 oz) all-purpose flour, plus a little more as needed
• 1 tsp salt
• 8 tbsp (1 stick) butter
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt, sour cream, or buttermilk
• 1 tbsp ice water, plus more as necessary
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 fresh chile, minced, or cayenne to taste
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp peeled and minced or grated fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp all-purpose curry powder, or store-bought curry powder
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ½ cup green peas (frozen are fine; defrost them in water to cover while you prepare the other ingredients)
• vegetable oil for deep-frying

Directions

1. Peel the potatoes and dice them into ½-inch cubes; set them in a pot of water to cover; turn the heat to high. Boil them until soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, make the dough; place the flour and 1 t of salt in the container of a food processor; pulse for a couple of seconds to blend. Cut half the butter into bits, add it to the flour, and turn on the machine; let it run until the butter and flour are combined. Add the yogurt, sour cream, or buttermilk and pulse a few times. Then, with the machine running, add ice water 1 t at a time through the feed tube. The instant the dough forms a ball, stop adding water.
3. Knead the dough for1 minute by hand, then cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside. Place the remaining butter in a large skillet, preferably non-stick, and turn the heat to medium. Add the onion and the chile or cayenne and cook, stirring until the onion softens, about 5 minutes; add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder. Add salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and peas (drain them if they've been sitting in water), raise the heat a little, and cook, stirring frequently, until the potatoes begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary; the mixture should be spicy but not fiery. Cool while you roll out the dough.
4. Knead the dough for a few seconds, sprinkling it with a little flour if necessary. Break off a small piece of the dough (you'll want to make 20 to 30 samosas, so judge accordingly) and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it is a circle at least 3 inches in diameter. Make 5 or 6 circles, then fill them: place 1 t or so of filling in the center, then fold over and seal with a few drops of water. Keep covered with a damp towel. Repeat until all the dough and filling are used up.
5. When you're about halfway through making the samosas, put enough oil to come to a depth of at least 2 inches in a large, deep saucepan. The broader the saucepan, the more samosas you can cook at once, but the more oil you will use. Turn the heat to medium-high; you want the temperature to be at about 375°F when you start cooking.
6. Fry the samosas a few at a time, turning if necessary, until they are golden brown. Drain on paper towels or paper bags and serve immediately, or keep warm in a low oven, or serve at room temperature, within an hour or so.

Beef-filled Samosas

1. The dough and frying remain the same.
2. To make the filling, heat 2 tbsp butter or oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add onion, chile, garlic, ginger, and curry as above.
4. Add ½ lb ground beef or lamb and cook, stirring, until the meat loses its color, about 5 minutes.
5. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon, leaving all fat and other liquid in the pan.
6. Stir ½ minced cilantro into the mixture and proceed to step 4.

Lentil-filled Samosas

1. The dough and frying remain the same.
2. For the filling, use half of the recipe for split peas, mung beans, or lentils with curry (dal).
3. Drain the peas, beans, or lentils very well before proceeding to step 4.