Samosa/Shingara

Samosa, called Shingara in Bengali is a very popular snack in every part of India. A hot plate of samosas with some fried green chili and a hot cup of tea is really something to die for. I think it would have been much easier for Menaka to break Vishwamitra's meditation if she had a plate of samosas in her hand, instead of she dancing and sweating and seducing him!

The stuffing widely used is potato but I have used potato, cabbage and green peas. 

Ingredients:

For outer cover:

• All purpose flour(maida)    - 1½ cup
• Ghee                                 - 2 Tbsp       
• Salt                                   - 1/3 tsp
• Oil                                     - for deep frying

For Filling:

• Potato                            - 2 medium, boiled, peeled
• Cabbage                         - 1 cup, chopped
• Green peas                     - ½ cup
• Green chilli                    - 3-4, finely chopped
• Coriander leaves             - 1 Tbsp
• Whole cumin                  - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder                - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder           - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder            - ½ tsp
• Red Chilli powder           - ½ tsp
• Salt                                - as per taste
• Oil                                 - 2 Tbsp

Method:

1. Take maida in a mixing bowl, add ghee and salt. Mix well with hand till you get a crumbly texture. 

2. Now add little water and knead the mixture. Keep adding water and kneading till you get a firm dough. Cover it with a wet muslin cloth and keep aside.

Let's prepare the filling at this stage. 

3. Heat oil in a pan. Temper with whole cumin.

4. Add chopped cabbage, chilli. Add salt and turmeric powder. Cook covered till cabbage becomes tender.

5. Add boiled potatoes, green peas. Add cumin, chilli and coriander powder and mix well.

6. Cook till all the ingredients are cooked and mixed well. Add chopped coriander leaves and remove from pan.

Here comes the main task, preparing the samosas. :)

7. Remove the wet cloth from the dough and knead it one more time. Divide the whole dough into 6 small sized balls. 

8. Roll the ball into a flat circular roti not very thin.

9. Cut it from the middle using a knife into two semi circular portions.

10. Using a brush or your finger tips, wet the straight edges of the roti.

11. Take one semi circle in hand and bring together the wet edges, one above the other, press and seal thereby forming a cone.

12. Stuff the samosa cone with the prepared filling. 

13. Apply water on the open edges of the cone and bring together the ends. Press and seal properly.

14. Prepare all the samosas 

15. Heat oil in a deep pan for deep frying the samosas. When the oil is hot add samosas in oil few at a time, lower the flame to low.
16. Fry till samosas turn golden brown in color.

17. Remove from pan and place in paper towel to get rid of the excess oil.

18. Serve hot samosas with fried green chilli, ketchup and green chutney.