Vegetable Samosas are delicious parcel of vegetables wrapped and fried in filo pastry. They are remarkably easy to prepare and when your folded a few, it becomes second nature. I have included green beans, carrots, onion, peas, sweetcorn and potato in this recipe. However, you don’t need to use so many and can include any vegetables use enjoy. This is a perfect opportunity to use up any leftover vegetables from the weekend. Depending on the region, samosas can be triangular, conical and half moon shaped. They are all brilliant and the different regions use various spices make each one unique.
This vegetarian delight is perfect not only to celebrate Eid and Ramadan but throughout the year. I have served this as a canape, starter, main dish, side dish and as a snack (not the same meal I should add).
I have made these Vegetable Samosas in advance and stored them in the fridge for 2 days before frying. You can also freeze them both cooked and uncooked in air tight containers separated by parchment/greaseproof paper. This recipe is for vegetable samosas but you can change the recipe to include meat and poultry. Chicken, beef, pork and lamb all work well and can absorb the spice mix superbly. There are already recipes for beef samosas on this site
Vegetable Samosas
Equipment
- 1 oil thermometer
- 1 Deep sided pan
Ingredients
- 220 g baking potato peel/dice
- 50 g green beans trimmed/finely chop
- 45 g peas fresh/frozen
- 45 g sweetcorn fresh/frozen
- 1 large onion peel/dice
- 50 g carrot peel/finely dice
- 2 large scallions spring onion/finely chop
- 2 cloves garlic peel/mince
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 15 g coriander finely chop
- 10 g all purpose flour plain
- 24 sheets filo pastry
Instructions
- Place a pan of water over a high heat and add the potatoes. Boil for 6-7 minutes and then remove from the heat, drain and put to one side. Leave the colander sitting on the pan so the potatoes can continue to drain.220 g baking potato
- Place a frying pan over a medium heat and add teaspoons of oil. When hot, add the beans, peas, sweetcorn, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander and chilli powder and stir well to combine. Fry for 5 minutes or until the vegetables have started to soften.50 g green beans, 45 g peas, 45 g sweetcorn, 1 large onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp chilli powder
- Add the part cooked potato and carrots and stir in. Taste and season with salt and pepper accordingly. Continue to fry for a further 3-4 minutes stirring gently and then add the fresh coriander and scallions/spring onions. Turn off the heat and put to one side until needed.50 g carrot, 15 g coriander, 2 large scallions
- In a cup, add the flour and 20ml tap water. Stir to combine and put to one side until needed to seal the samosas.10 g all purpose flour
- The filo pastry is probably too large so you need to cut it into three equal pieces lengthways.24 sheets filo pastry
- Take two strips out and lay them on top of each other while you cover the remaining pastry with a damp cloth to prevent drying out.
- Add a tablespoon of filling (you may need to adjust the quantity depending on the width of your pastry) to the bottom corner of the pastry nearest you. Lifting the pastry corner, fold it diagonally over the filling to create a triangle shape. Then fold the pastry away from you so the edge nearest you is flat and then repeat the process. The pointed sides should alternate so flat then left then flat then right etc and so on.
- Repeat until you get to the top of the pastry and then lightly brush the flour and water mixture to both parts and gently push together to seal the filling. Place the completed samosa under a damp cloth as well.
- Easy and trust me you will get quicker. Repeat the process for the remaining filling.
- Add sufficient oil to a deep sided and for the samosas to float in without being in contact with the bottom. The oil needs to be 175C/335F to get a lovely crispy pastry. Alternatively turn on your deep fat fryer to the correct setting.
- Add a few samosas at a time to the oil and leave to fry for 1 minutes then carefully turn them over and cook until lovely and golden brown. At this temperature everything will be cooked to perfection.
- Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon and place on kitchen paper to drain any excess oil while you fry the rest.
- Serve with dips, sauces and a wedge of lemon.
- Enjoy
