Samosas, traditional Indian stuffed pastries

Samosas are very popular snack/appetizer/street food items that originate in India. 
The recipe I have first come across calls for meat, and beef, no less, but out of respect for vegetarian and the part of Indian culture that views a cow as a sacred animal, I decided to list a veggie-filling samosa instead. This recipe is basic, if you wish to "spice it up" with some extra and/or unique blend of spices, as often a custom in India - let your taste buds and your on tolerance for heat be your guide :) For me, as I really like ginger and coriander in my Indian-inspired dishes, I add those to the base recipe, as well as turmeric, which is renowned for its healing and antiseptic properties.

And without further ado (not adieu, mind you :) ), here is the recipe!

You are going to need:

1 3/4 cups of sifted flour
1/3 cup of plain yogurt
3 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon of salt

for pastry, and

more butter, ghee or vegetable oil for frying

also:

2 medium potatoes
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup onions, minced
1 garlic glove, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon parsely, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Indian curry mix
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried ground chili peppers

for filling

Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl, stir in the yogurt and butter. 
Knead carefully until a dough is formed. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for about 30 min. 
For filling: saute onions, garlic in ghee or butter until translucent. Add mushed potato and cook for another 2-3 min. Add tomato, parsley,  chili, curry powder and salt, and cook over medium-low heat for another 3 min. Set aside. 
Roll out the dough as thin as possible and cut into 4" squares. Place a full tablespoon of filling in the center of each square, and fold those over into triangles. Seal the edges using cold water to moisten them first. Heat the fat you are using for deep frying to 375 degrees. Fry few samosas at the time until browned. Drain and keep hot. The recipe makes about two dozen.


Well, it may seem like these are quite a hassle to make, BUT I sure hope you appreciate them once you are finished ;) As always, please share your experience and your tips for this popular dish. Thank you and enjoy your meal! (o: