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

Directions

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.