Punjabi Vegetable Samosas: Crispy Spiced Potato and Pea Pastries with Mint Chutney

Rub the ghee into the flour with the carom seeds and salt until it holds together when squeezed. Add cold water gradually to form a stiff dough. Rest, covered, 30 minutes.

Serves 6 (makes 12 samosas)

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tbsp ghee or oil, plus oil for deep frying
• 1 tsp carom (ajwain) seeds
• 3/4 tsp salt plus 6 tbsp cold water for the dough
• 4 medium potatoes, boiled and roughly crumbled
• 3/4 cup green peas
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp amchur (dried mango powder) or lemon juice
• 1 cup mint-cilantro chutney, for serving

Instructions

1. Rub the ghee into the flour with the carom seeds and salt until it holds together when squeezed. Add cold water gradually to form a stiff dough. Rest, covered, 30 minutes.
2. Toast the cumin seeds in 2 tablespoons of oil, then add the ginger and green chilies for 30 seconds.
3. Add the crumbled potatoes, peas, garam masala, coriander, amchur and salt to taste. Mash lightly and cook 3 minutes. Cool completely.
4. Divide the dough into 6 balls. Roll each into an oval, cut in half, and shape each half into a cone, sealing the seam with water.
5. Fill each cone with 2 tablespoons of filling and pinch the top edge firmly closed, pressing a small pleat for the classic shape.
6. Heat oil to 300°F (150°C) — deliberately moderate. Fry the samosas in batches 12 to 15 minutes, turning, until blistered, crisp and deep golden. Low, slow frying gives the signature flaky shell.
7. Drain on a rack and serve hot with mint-cilantro chutney.
8. The samosa walked the Silk Road into India as the Persian 'sanbosag' some 700 years ago, and Punjab made it immortal: spiced potatoes replaced minced meat, and the street-corner samosa-wala became an institution. The pastry's blistered crust comes from a technique grandmothers guard fiercely — frying low and slow, never hot and fast — proof that patience is the first spice of Indian cooking.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 340 kcal
• Protein: 7g
• Fat: 16g
• Carbohydrates: 43g
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 480mg