Crispy Samosas with Spiced Potato and Peas

Name: Crispy Samosas with Spiced Potato and Peas
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: North Indian
Ingredients: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled; ½ tsp (3 g) fine salt; ½ tsp (1 g) ajwain (carom seeds), lightly crushed between your fingers (optional); 4 tbsp (60 ml) neutral oil or melted ghee, at room temperature; ½ cup (120 ml) cold water, add gradually; you may need slightly less or 1 to 2 tbsp more; 1¼ lb (about 3 medium) (600 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, left whole with skins on; 1 cup (130 g) frozen green peas, thawed and drained; 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil; 1 tsp (2 g) cumin seeds; 1 tbsp (10 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 2 small (15 g) serrano or Thai green chiles, finely minced (seed for less heat); 2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander; ½ tsp (1 g) ground turmeric; ½ tsp (1 g) Kashmiri chili powder (optional); 1½ tsp (3 g) garam masala; 1 tsp (2 g) amchur (dried mango powder); 1¼ tsp (7 g) fine salt; 3 tbsp (10 g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped; 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp (15 ml) water, stirred with the flour into a thick paste; 6 cups (1400 ml) neutral oil for deep frying (peanut, canola or sunflower), about 2½ inches (6 cm) deep in a 5-quart pot

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Flaky, blistered pastry cones filled with cumin-scented potatoes, sweet peas, ginger and garam masala. The dough is fried low and slow so the crust turns crisp and bubbly instead of greasy.

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 1 hr 10 min
Wait: 40 min
Total: 2 hr 35 min
Makes: 16 samosas (2 per serving)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the dough
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
½ tsp (3 g) fine salt
½ tsp (1 g) ajwain (carom seeds), lightly crushed between your fingers (optional)
4 tbsp (60 ml) neutral oil or melted ghee, at room temperature
½ cup (120 ml) cold water, add gradually; you may need slightly less or 1 to 2 tbsp more
For the filling
1¼ lb (about 3 medium) (600 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, left whole with skins on
1 cup (130 g) frozen green peas, thawed and drained
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil
1 tsp (2 g) cumin seeds
1 tbsp (10 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 small (15 g) serrano or Thai green chiles, finely minced (seed for less heat)
2 tsp (4 g) ground coriander
½ tsp (1 g) ground turmeric
½ tsp (1 g) Kashmiri chili powder (optional)
1½ tsp (3 g) garam masala
1 tsp (2 g) amchur (dried mango powder)
1¼ tsp (7 g) fine salt
3 tbsp (10 g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped
For sealing and frying
1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (15 ml) water, stirred with the flour into a thick paste
6 cups (1400 ml) neutral oil for deep frying (peanut, canola or sunflower), about 2½ inches (6 cm) deep in a 5-quart pot

Equipment (10)

Large pot for boiling potatoes
Large mixing bowl
Rolling pin
12-inch (30 cm) skillet or sauté pan
5-quart (4.7 L) heavy Dutch oven or deep pot
Deep-fry thermometer
Slotted spoon or spider
Wire rack set over a rimmed sheet pan (oven-safe)
Small pastry brush or spoon (for sealing paste)
Sharp knife or bench scraper

Steps

Before you start

Read the timing: the dough rests for 30 minutes while the potatoes boil, so start the potatoes right after kneading.
Set up a landing station for frying: a wire rack set over a sheet pan, a thermometer, and a slotted spoon or spider.
Shortly before frying, preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C) so finished batches can stay warm and crisp on the rack while you fry the rest.
You need a deep-fry or candy thermometer. Oil temperature is the biggest factor in a crisp, non-greasy crust.
Thaw the peas in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes and drain them well, so they don't add extra moisture to the filling.

1
Make the dough
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, dough salt and ajwain (if using).
- Pour in the 4 tbsp (60 ml) dough oil and rub it into the flour with your fingertips for about 2 minutes, until the mixture looks like damp sand and holds together when squeezed in your fist.
- Add the cold water 2 tablespoons at a time, mixing, until a stiff dough forms.
- Knead on the counter for 5 minutes until smooth and firm, noticeably stiffer than bread dough.
- Cover the bowl with a damp towel.
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Ready when: Dough is smooth, firm and doesn't stick to your hands; a poked dent springs back slowly.
Tip: A stiff dough is what makes the crust blister and crisp. If it feels soft and tacky, knead in 1 tbsp more flour.
2
Boil the potatoes
- Place the whole unpeeled potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch (2.5 cm).
- Add a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer.
- Cook for 20 minutes, unattended, while the dough rests under its towel.
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Ready when: A paring knife slides into the center of the largest potato with no resistance, but the potato hasn't split apart.
Tip: Don't overcook. Waterlogged potatoes make a gluey, wet filling that tears the pastry.
3
Cool and crush potatoes
- Drain the potatoes and let them steam-dry in the colander for 10 minutes (the dough finishes its 30-minute rest during this time).
- Peel off the skins with your fingers or a paring knife, then crush the potatoes in a bowl with a fork or potato masher into rough pieces about ½ inch (1 cm) in size.
- Don't puree them.
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Ready when: Potatoes are crumbly and chunky with no big lumps beyond ½ inch, and the surface looks dry.
Tip: Peel them while still warm but not scorching; fully cold potatoes are harder to peel cleanly.
4
Cook the spiced filling
- Heat the 2 tbsp filling oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the cumin seeds and cook 30 seconds until they sizzle and smell toasty.
- Add the ginger and green chiles and stir for 1 minute.
- Stir in the coriander, turmeric and chili powder (if using) for 20 seconds, then add the crushed potatoes, peas, garam masala, amchur and filling salt.
- Cook, stirring and gently folding for 4 to 5 minutes, until the spices coat everything evenly and the mixture looks dry rather than steamy.
- Remove from the heat and fold in the cilantro.
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Ready when: Filling smells fragrant, is evenly golden-yellow, and holds together when pressed with a spoon without any liquid pooling.
Tip: Taste and adjust the salt now. The filling should taste slightly over-seasoned because the pastry is plain.
5
Cool the filling
- Spread the filling out on a large plate or small sheet pan and let it cool for 15 minutes until just warm or room temperature.
- Hot filling softens the dough and makes the samosas hard to seal.
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Ready when: Filling feels barely warm to the touch.
6
Roll the dough
- Divide the rested dough into 8 equal pieces (about 50 g each) and roll each into a smooth ball.
- Keep the balls covered.
- On a lightly floured counter, roll one ball into a thin 6-inch (15 cm) circle, about 1/16 inch (2 mm) thick.
- Cut the circle in half with a knife to make two semicircles.
- Stir the 1 tbsp paste flour and 1 tbsp paste water together into a thick paste.
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Ready when: Circle is thin enough to see the counter's color faintly through it but does not tear.
Tip: Roll and shape one ball at a time; cut dough dries out quickly and cracks at the seams.
7
Fill and shape cones
- Brush a little paste along the straight cut edge of a semicircle.
- Pick it up and fold the two corners of the straight edge toward each other so they overlap by about ½ inch (1 cm), forming a cone; press the seam firmly to seal.
- Hold the cone in your palm and spoon in about 2 tablespoons (40 g) of filling, packing it gently but leaving ½ inch (1 cm) of space at the top.
- Brush paste around the open rim, pinch it together firmly and press the edge flat with your fingers or the tines of a fork.
- Repeat to make 16 samosas, placing them on a tray without touching.
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Ready when: Each samosa is a sealed, plump triangle with no gaps or filling poking through.
Tip: Don't overfill. Filling that squeezes out at the seam causes samosas to burst and the oil to splatter.
8
Heat the frying oilOven 200°F / 95°C
- Pour the frying oil into a 5-quart (4.7 L) Dutch oven so it's about 2½ inches (6 cm) deep and no more than half full.
- Clip on a deep-fry thermometer and heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the oil reaches 325°F (160°C).
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C) for keeping the fried samosas warm.
- Test the oil with a scrap of dough: it should sink, then rise slowly with gentle bubbles.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 325°F (160°C).
Tip: Never leave hot oil unattended. If the oil smokes, remove it from the heat and let it cool.
9
Fry in batchesOven 200°F / 95°C
- Carefully lower 5 or 6 samosas into the oil, one at a time, without crowding.
- Fry for 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, and adjust the heat to hold the oil at 300–325°F (150–160°C).
- The surface will first bubble, then slowly turn pale gold and finally deep golden brown.
- Lift out, let excess oil drip off, and transfer to the wire rack set over a sheet pan in the 200°F (95°C) oven to keep warm.
- Let the oil return to 325°F (160°C) before frying the next batch (3 batches total: 6, 5, 5 samosas).
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Ready when: Samosas are deep golden brown, covered in tiny blisters, and sound hollow and crisp when tapped with a spoon.
Tip: If they brown in under 6 minutes, the oil is too hot and the crust will stay raw and doughy inside. Lower the heat.
10
Drain and serve
- Turn off the oven.
- Let the samosas drain on the wire rack for 5 minutes; they crisp further as they cool slightly.
- Serve warm with cilantro-mint chutney, tamarind chutney or ketchup.
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Ready when: Crust is firm and crackly, and the filling is steaming hot.
Tip: Don't drain on paper towels. Trapped steam softens the bottom crust.

Good to know

Tips

Fry low and slow. A moderate oil temperature of 300–325°F (150–160°C) cooks the dough all the way through and creates the signature blistered crust.
Keep the dough stiff and the filling dry. Both prevent bursting and sogginess.
Seal each samosa firmly with the flour paste and check for gaps before frying; any open seam will leak and bubble oil.
Bake instead of frying if you prefer: brush with oil and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once. The crust will be less blistered but still crisp.

Make ahead

Make the dough up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate it wrapped tightly; bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling. The filling keeps 2 days in the fridge. Shaped, unfried samosas can be frozen on a tray until solid, then bagged for up to 2 months, and fried straight from frozen at 300°F (150°C) for 14 to 16 minutes.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours after frying. Fridge: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Freezer: fried samosas up to 2 months. Reheat from the fridge or freezer on a rack set on a sheet pan in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes (20 minutes from frozen) until crisp and hot throughout. Avoid the microwave, which makes the crust soggy.

Substitutions

amchur (dried mango powder) → fresh lemon juice (2 tsp), stirred in off the heat. Gives similar tang; add after cooking so the filling stays dry.
ajwain (carom seeds) → ¼ tsp cumin seeds or omit. Ajwain adds a thyme-like aroma; the samosas are still good without it.
neutral oil or melted ghee → melted ghee or melted vegetable shortening. Ghee gives the most flavor and a flakier crust; use equal volume.
frozen green peas → finely diced cooked carrots or corn kernels. Use the same amount; make sure they're dry.