Vegetarain Gujarati Samosas
These Vegetarian Gujarati Samosas are the perfect treat that capture the essence of traditional Gujarati cuisine. They’re easy to make, and their satisfying crunch will leave you craving more! In my family, making these veggie Samosas is a cherished tradition. A few weeks before Diwali, we gather together to prepare hundreds of them in anticipation of the big celebration. These crispy, flavourful bites are a festive must-have and making them is a wonderful way to connect with loved ones and share the joy of the season.
Dough:
- 500g flour
- 270 water
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Filling:
- 2 carrots, diced (about 180g)
- 4 medium potatoes (about 700g)
- 3 small onions, diced (about 1 cup)
- 150g frozen peas (about 1 cup)
- 3 inch ginger, grated or pounded
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or pounded
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 cloves
- 3 dried birds eye chillis, finely minced or pounded
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 6 green chillis
- 2.5 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 3 teaspoons garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 cup coriander, leaves only, finely chopped
Glue:
- 25g flour
- 50g water
- Coriander and mint chutney (blend all together)
- 1 large bunch coriander
- 1/2 bunch mint, leaves picked – half the amount of coriander
- 2 inch piece ginger
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 green chilli
- 1/4 red onion
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- salt to taste
- Tamarind Chutney
- 100g dried tamarind
- 8 dates
- 3 springs mint
- small handful coriander
- 3 green chillies
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons sugar
Step 1: Dough
In a bowl, combine the flour, water, oil, and lemon juice. Knead the mixture for 5 minutes until smooth, then let it rest for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Filling
Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork. Peel the skins and lightly mash the potatoes, leaving them chunky rather than smooth.
Step 3: Filing
Boil the diced carrots for 10 minutes until tender, then strain and set aside.
Pound the garlic, ginger, and chili using a mortar and pestle, or finely mince/grate them.
Step 4
In a large pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil and add the cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and chilies.
Add ¾ of the onions, reserving the remaining ¼ for later. Cook for 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent and slightly browned.
Add the carrots, peas, ginger, garlic, and chilies. Stir gently to avoid crushing the vegetables and cook for a few minutes to combine.
Step 5
Stir in the turmeric, garam masala, salt, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook for 2 minutes to let the spices develop their flavors.
Add the potatoes and coriander, and gently stir to combine. Ensure everything is well mixed, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Step 6
Divide the dough into small, palm-sized balls and roll each into circles of equal size, about the thickness of a pound coin. Spread 1 teaspoon of oil on one of the dough circles, then sprinkle with flour.
Step 7
Place the second dough circle on top of the first and gently roll them together to press them into a single layer. Cook the dough in a saucepan for 30 seconds on each side, ensuring it doesn’t brown. Alternatively, you can cook each circle on just one side.
Keep the cooked dough wrapped in tea towels to keep them from drying out.
Step 8: Assembling the Samosa
Prepare the glue by mixing flour and water.
Cut the circles in half to create two semicircles. Place one semicircle with the uncooked side facing up, then fold the top right corner two-thirds of the way across the middle.
Step 9
Spread about 1/2 teaspoon of the glue onto the top-facing side of the semicircle. Fold the left corner in to form a triangle, then press gently to seal. Ensure you close the bottom corner tightly to prevent oil from leaking in.
Step 10
Fill the cone with 1 teaspoon of the filling (making sure to remove the cloves and cinnamon sticks) so that the corner is filled. Continue filling the cone to about 3/4 full, then seal the end with the glue, pressing it together firmly.
Fry in hot oil for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
For the coriander and mint chutney, blend all the ingredients together and adjust the seasoning with salt and lemon. It’s as simple as that!
Step 11: Tamarind chutney
Boil the tamarind in enough water to cover it for 30 minutes, until very soft. Strain the tamarind through a fine sieve, pressing to extract as much pulp as possible.
Blend 250ml of the tamarind water with the remaining ingredients. Adjust the seasoning with salt and sugar to taste.
