Samosa is an appetizing Indian snack and loved by everyone. Served as a quick treat at homes and parties, this decadent deep-fried grub is basically a crispy patty filled with spiced mashed potatoes, peas and spices. Simple and elegant.
Well, that’s the traditional way of making a samosa and even though it’s quite yummy, it’s also heavy and loaded with calories.
But if you are into fitness or trying to lose weight, then the classic samosa recipe might not be the best choice for you. Trust me, I know. As a runner who also loves samosa, I had to make some alterations to the classic recipe so that I could have it whenever my taste buds demanded it (And to be honest, I can never eat just-one-samosa!)
The result is this Tangy Chickpea Samosa Recipe; a healthy, contemporary twist to the classic samosa. Here’s the twist: I have mixed potatoes with boiled chickpeas, boiled peas and mung bean sprouts to ensure that it’s nutrient-dense and flavorful. Like I had mentioned, this is a guilt-free version.
Also, a typical Indian samosa is quite spicy but this recipe is a tangy, rather than fiery. The sourness is actually quite satisfying and I prefer a perfectly mouthwatering combination of tangy AND spicy. The tanginess is added to the filling of the samosa with tamarind powder and lemon juice. The combination of the two is simply fantastic!
Whilst the element of spiciness is infused with chopped chillies, only. I have also added chopped coriander or cilantro leaves to the filling for the extra touch of freshness. But if you don’t like cilantro, it’s perfectly okay to skip this ingredient. In case, you prefer a spicy samosa, then instead of tamarind powder use mixture of 1 tbsp. of ground bay leaves and nutmeg.
Now comes the patty. One might believe that preparing a samosa patty for frying is quite complicated, but it’s not. Simply put, it’s all about the filling to patty ratio. If you fill the patty with too much filling, then it might burst from the edges during frying.
As for the samosa itself, its best to deep fry it since that permits the best texture; flaky and crispy. I recommend using a deep-fryer but if you don’t have one, a regular deep-frying pan will do the job as well. That’s why it’s I recommend a store bought all-purpose flour for the patty. Just remember that the filling of the samosa is very healthy so its okay it deep fry it.
These tangy samosas are simply delectable and you will finish all in one sitting, I promise. But of if you have some leftover, just flatten it a little by pressing it between your palms, put it between two slices of bread and have it for breakfast. They taste good even when cold.
Don’t heat them in a microwave though since the heat will soak up all the moisture and make it hard and dry.
As for serving it with a dip, tomato sauce, mint chutney or a yoghurt dip compliments the flavours really well. But then again, you can eat it just like it is.
Tangy Chicken Samosa Recipe
Ingredients
For the samosa patty
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp oil or clarified butter ghee
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. carom seeds
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
For the samosa filling
- 1 large boiled and mashed potatoes
- I cup boiled chickpeas
- ½ cup boiled mung sprouts
- ½ cup boiled peas
- ½ cup chopped coriander leaves
- 3 tbsp tamarind powder
- 5-7 chopped green chillies
- 1 whole lemon
- Salt as per needed
Spices needed
- Tamarind Powder
Instructions
For the Samosa Patty
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In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, oil or ghee, salt, carom seeds with your fingers.
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Add water and knead into a soft dough. Cover it and keep it aside for 1 hour.
For the Samosa Filling
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Boil the potato, mung sprouts, peas and chickpeas separately with a pinch of salt till they are really tender.
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Strain the chickpeas, peas and mung sprouts.
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Peel the potato and mash it well.
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Finely chop the coriander leaves, chillies and keep aside.
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Take a large bowl and mix the mashed potato, chickpeas, peas mung sprouts, coriander leaves, chillies with your hands.
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Add the tamarind powder, lemon juice and salt.
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Pound the entire mixture again thoroughly and keep aside.
Making the Samosa
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Take the dough which was kept aside for 1 hour and break it into 8 equal pieces.
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Take each piece and roll it with a rolling pin ensure that it's neither too thick or thin.
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Take a knife and cut each rolled piece from the middle, dividing it into equal halves. Each half should look like a semi-circle.
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Apply some water at the edges of each half of the cut dough.
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Join the two edges and make a cone.
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Stuff the samosa cone with a spoonful of stuffing.
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Dip your fingertips in some water and close the top, open part of the cone.
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With some more water, press all the edges gently to ensure that they are sealed, tightly.
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Now prepare all the samosa as mentioned above and keep it on a plate, aside.
Frying the Samosa
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Take a deep-frying pan, pour the vegetable oil and heat it on high flame.
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Once hot, add two pieces of samosa, reduce the flame to medium and fry until golden brown. If you keep frying on high heat, then the crust will turn brown quickly but will be uncooked from inside.
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Once brown, take it out on a plate, drain the excess oil.
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For best results, fry the samosas in batches and turn the heat on every time you start with a new batch, and reduce it later.
Serving the Samosa
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Serve it with hot just like it is or with your favourite dip.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: PREPARE THE SAMOSA PATTY DOUGH
Mix the purpose dough with oil or ghee, carom seeds, salt and water and knead it into a soft dough. Keep aside.
STEP 2: PREPARE THE SAMOSA FILLING
Take a large bowl and add the boiled potatoes, peas, chickpeas, mung sprouts, chopped chillies, tamarind powder, chillies lemon juice and salt.
STEP 3: MIX THE SAMOSA FILLING
Mix well with your hands and keep aside.
STEP 4: PREPARE THE SAMOSA
Take the dough, break into equal 8 pieces and roll it even with a rolling pin. Once rolled, cut it into 2 halves with a knife.
STEP 5: MAKE THE SAMOSA CONE
Join the edges of the halves together with water to form a cone and fill it with a spoonful of filling.
STEP 6: FILL THE SAMOSA AND SEAL THE EDGES
With some water on your finger, close the top of the cone and seal the edges tightly.
STEP 7: FILL THE REST
Prepare the remaining samosas in a similar way and keep it ready for frying.
STEP 8: FRYING THE SAMOSA
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep-frying pan. Once the oil is hot, slowly drop two samosas, reduce the flame to medium and fry until golden brown. Fry the remaining batches in a similar way. There are different oil brands available in the market for deep frying. But the best oil for deep frying depends upon what you are frying and at what heat.
STEP 9: SOAK IT AND PLATE IT
Take it all out on a plate, soak the excess oil with a tissue paper.
STEP 10: SERVING THE SAMOSA
Serve it hot, just the way it is or with some chopped coriander leaves. Or with your favourite dip.
There you have it. A healthy tangy chickpea samosa recipe which you can have, anytime. This recipe can be also made with minced lamb (minced lamb samosa) or cheese for a special occasion but otherwise, the humble is traditionally a vegetarian/vegan dish. Like I had mentioned earlier, leftover samosas make a delicious samosa sandwich. Bon Appetit!