Baked Punjabi Samosa

 

Samosa is one of the popular and well loved snacks in India and this yummy appetizer has traveled far and wide as Middle East and African countries where the dish with mild variations have become an equally favored one. Samosas have a flaky, crispy shell made with all purpose flour and usually stuffed with a vegetarian filling, the potato-pea version being the most classic one. The traditional version involves deep frying which of course lends the samosa it's inviting flaky textured exterior. A baked version though lacks that classic feature, still tastes great and a good option for guilt-free snacking, especially if one is holding back from enjoying these yummy appetizers because of the deep frying.

Ingredients for the outer cover: (Yield 18 samosas)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup semolina
1/2 tsp. carom seeds (optional)
3 to 4 tbsp. oil / ghee
Salt to taste
Milk to brush the samosas
Ingredients for the filling:
1 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. finely minced ginger / ginger paste
1 to 2 finely minced green chillies
1/2 cup fresh / frozen green peas
1/2 tsp. red chili powder or to taste
1 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. amchur powder / dried mango powder
2 cups peeled, cooked and mashed potatoes 
Salt to taste
1 to 2 tbsp. finely minced cilantro

Preparing the outer dough:
* Combine flour, semolina, carom seeds if using and salt in a mixing bowl. Next add ghee or oil to the oil and rub it in with your fingers to incorporate. Then add water in small increments and form a soft, pliable dough. ( I think I added around 5 - 6 tbsp. water.) Cover and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

Preparing the stuffing:
* Heat oil in a saute pan and add cumin seeds. When they start to sizzle and change color, add ginger and chillies. Fry them for about 30 seconds and then add peas. Cook them for about a minute. Next add all the dry spices and saute for few seconds. Finally add potatoes, salt and cilantro and mix well to combine. Continue to cook on low flame for about a minute and turn off the stove. Let the mixture cool a little before using to stuff for samosas.

Assembling & baking the samosas:
* Preheat the oven to 400 deg F.
* Knead the dough prepared earlier and pinch into big marble sized balls. Work with one ball at a time and keep the rest covered. 
* Grease you palms and roll one ball between your palms. Using a rolling pin, roll it thinly into a circle of about 5 inches diameter.

* Cut the rolled out circle into two equal halves, running a knife at the center. Basically you will end up with two crescent shaped halves, each with one straight edge and one curved edge.
* Take one half now and brush with water along with edges. Starting from one end of the straight edge, fold in half.

 * Now again fold to form a cone.

* Seal the two edges carefully, (taking care that there are no gaps) so that stuffing wouldn't spill.

* Spoon the filling into prepared cone and seal the edges.

* Repeat the steps with the remaining dough.
 * Grease a foil lined baking sheet and place the prepared samosas on it. Brush them with milk on both sides. 
* Bake them for about 25 - 30 minutes or until they start turning golden brown.
* Remove them from the oven and serve immediately with green chutney / sweet chutney.
 This goes to Blogging marathon #59 under the theme 'Stuffed Dishes'. Check the link to see what other marathoners are cooking.
 
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