Samoosas

The Go To when out and about in Cape Town

Homemade samoosa sheets

Making your own sheets takes a little patience, but the result is a light, crisp pastry that's difficult to match with shop-bought wrappers.

Ingredients

• 500g plain flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp oil
• 300 to 350ml water, adjusting as needed
• Plain flour, for layering
• Oil, for layering

Method

• Mix the flour, salt and oil in a large bowl until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Gradually add the water and knead until you have a smooth, firm dough. Cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 16 equal portions, about 50g each, and roll each one into a circle.
• Brush each circle lightly with oil, making sure to reach the edges, then dust with flour. Stack four circles together, placing the fourth circle oil-side down.
• If you're making homemade sheets for the first time, start by stacking just two circles until you become comfortable with the technique.
• Gently stretch the stacked dough with your fingers before rolling it into a rectangle measuring approximately 23cm by 25cm. Roll lightly so the layers stay separate.
• Cook on a large tawa or frying pan over low heat. Once bubbles appear, flip and cook briefly until there are no raw patches. Avoid overcooking or allowing brown spots to form.
• Separate the layers while still warm and keep the finished sheets wrapped in a damp kitchen towel.
• Trim the edges and cut each sheet into three strips. This recipe makes about 48 samoosa sheets.
• Wrap well in cling wrap before placing into a freezer bag. Freeze until needed.

Beef mince filling for samoosas

The filling should be flavourful without being wet. Too much moisture makes the pastry difficult to seal and can cause the samoosas to split during frying.

Ingredients

• 2kg beef mince
• 1 large tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Salt, to taste
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 3 to 4 tsp ground green chilli
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp meat tenderiser (optional)
• 2 tsp garlic masala paste
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• Good splash of vinegar
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 2 to 3 onions, grated and thoroughly drained
• 2 tsp dhana jeeru
• Pinch of garam masala
• Large bunch fresh coriander, chopped
• Chopped spring onion (optional)

Method

• Heat the ghee and coconut oil over medium heat.
• Add the beef mince together with the spices, garlic masala paste, ginger, vinegar and seasoning. Break up the mince as it cooks so there are no large lumps.
• Once cooked, stir in the well-drained grated onions. Cover the pot with a clean cloth before placing the lid on top. The warmth softens the onions while the cloth absorbs excess moisture.
• Leave the filling to cool completely before mixing through the chopped coriander and spring onions.

How to fold and fill a samoosa

For many beginners, folding is the trickiest part of making homemade samoosas.

Start by forming a cone with the prepared sheet. Fill it with enough mince to hold its shape, but don't overfill it. Seal the final edge well using a simple flour-and-water paste if needed.

This video demonstrates the folding technique step by step and shows exactly how to shape and seal each samoosa.

Why your homemade samoosas split during frying

The most common causes are overfilling, using filling that is still warm or not sealing the edges properly.

Take your time when sealing each samoosa and press the edges firmly to prevent them from opening in the oil.

How to keep homemade samoosas crisp

Allow the filling to cool completely before assembling.

Fry in moderately hot oil so the pastry cooks quickly without absorbing too much oil.

If you're making them ahead of time, freeze the uncooked samoosas in a single layer before transferring them to a freezer bag.

Fry them straight from frozen whenever you're ready to serve.

Making homemade samoosas takes a little practice, but once you've mastered the sheets and learned how to fold them properly, you'll always have a reliable recipe for one of South Africa's favourite savoury snacks.

Image Credit - Hashtag Melvin - Pexels