Samosa Recipe

Cook the potatoes

Place cubed potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until just tender when pierced with a knife, about 8–10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.

Sauté aromatics and vegetables

Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, 4–5 minutes. Add grated ginger and minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add diced carrot and cook 3–4 minutes until beginning to soften. Stir in thawed peas and cook 1–2 minutes.

Season and combine

Reduce heat to low. Add curry powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, and red chili flakes to the skillet and toast 30–45 seconds. Add the cooked potatoes and gently mash with the back of a spoon or potato masher until the mixture holds together but still has some texture. Season with salt, black pepper, and lemon juice. Stir in chopped cilantro if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and let the filling cool to room temperature (at least 15 minutes) before filling wrappers.

Prepare sealing paste

Mix 1 tsp flour with 1 tsp water to make a thin paste; this will act as an adhesive for sealing the wrappers.

Assemble samosas

Work with one wonton wrapper at a time. If using square wrappers, fold into a triangle by bringing two opposite corners together. Place about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of cooled filling near one corner of the triangle (or the center of a round wrapper). Brush the edges with the flour paste, fold and seal tightly to form a triangle or half-moon, ensuring no air pockets. Press edges firmly to seal. Repeat until all wrappers are filled (should make about 24 small samosas).

Heat oil

Pour oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed skillet or pot to a depth of about 1.5 inches (enough to half-submerge samosas). Heat over medium until oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small piece of wrapper sizzles and browns in ~30 seconds.

Fry samosas

Fry samosas in batches of 6–8 without crowding. Cook 2–3 minutes per side, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel–lined tray to drain. If oil temperature drops, increase heat slightly between batches. Let rest 2 minutes before serving.

Combine ingredients

In a small saucepan, combine drained crushed pineapple and reserved 2 tbs pineapple juice, rice vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, and red chili flakes. Stir to combine.

Simmer and thicken

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. In a small bowl, whisk 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tsp cold water to make a slurry. Slowly whisk the slurry into the simmering sauce and cook 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool slightly; sauce will thicken more as it cools.

Serve

Transfer sauce to a small bowl for dipping alongside the hot samosas.