Samosas

(makes about 16)

Ingredients

Pastry Dough

• 2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cups yogurt
• 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons ice cold water

Filling

• about 4 cups potatoes (no need to peel), diced into 1/4 inch cubes (about 2 medium russets)
• 2 - 2 1/2 cups cauliflower, broken into florets (about 1 head)
• 1 cup onion, diced (about 1/2 large red onion)
• 1 cup peas (frozen, defrosted)
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons ghee or 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, ground
• 1 pinch of asefetida
• 1 pinch of turmeric
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 1/2+ quarts oil (peanut, canola, or safflower)

Directions

Put the flour and salt in a food processor and whisk together a few seconds. Add the butter cut into small chunks, the yogurt and 2 tablespoons of water. Pulse the machine to blend the mixture until it is the consistency of coarsely crumbled blue cheese (about 10 pulses). Add another tablespoon of water as needed, but it should not form a ball while pulsing. Remove from the machine and form the dough into a ball in your hands. Knead it a few minutes and cover with plastic wrap while you prepare the filling.

To make the filling, steam the diced potatoes 10 minutes and cool. Heat the ghee in a large pan and fry the coriander for 15 seconds. Add the onion, ginger , garlic, and asefetida and saute unit the onion begins to get translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the cauliflower and steam, covered for about 10 minutes over low heat, adding a tablespoon or 2 of water once or twice to prevent sticking and burning. Stir in the potatoes and peas and allow to cook another 5 minutes over medium heat. Mix in the salt, lemon juice, red peppers, cilantro, and masala. Cook another few minutes. Remove from heat and let the filling cool.

Roll the dough into a rope about 16 inches long and divide into 16 equal parts. Form each into a ball and cover. Working with one ball at a time, roll it out into a circle about 5-6 inches wide. Place a large tablespoon of filling in the upper half of the circle and bring the lower half up and over it, sealing the upper semicircular edge perfectly. Pick it up, pat it out to look nice and begin to pleat the edge, starting in the right hand corner. Make a small pinch and fold it over, then another pinch and fold it over, working your way around the edge, moving toward the other end. Once there, twist the final end and sit the samosa on a surface to dry, while you make the rest. By allowing them to dry for 30 minutes, they become a bit more flaky.

Once all the samosas are made, begin heating the oil over high heat with a candy thermometer until the temperature gets towards 300 degrees, then reduce the heat to medium high. Once the temperature reaches 350 degrees, put in the first half of the samosas and allow to fry, turning occasionally. The temperature will drop down to about 300 degrees and should remain there during the whole frying time; so adjust the temperature between medium high and medium low accordingly. When they are fried, remove them with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels. They are served warm or at room temperature in India, with a variety of chutneys, but tamarind is the most traditional.

Notes

Taken from "Eating for a Healthy Life," recipe by Dr. Sally LaMont.