Potato Samosas with Tamarind Chutney

Name: Potato Samosas with Tamarind Chutney
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: Makes 30 to 40 mini cocktail samosas
Ingredients: 2 cups / 250g All-purpose flour; ¼ cup / 60 ml Oil or ghee; 6 Tbsp / 15 ml water; ¾ tsp Cumin seeds (optional); ¾ tsp salt; 4 / 500g Russet potato; ½ cup / 75g Green peas, boiled fresh or frozen; 1 Tbsp / 15 ml Oil or ghee; 1 Tbsp / 12g Ginger, minced; 1-2 Green chilies; 1 pinch Asafoetida (optional); 4 Tbsp Cilantro leaves, chopped; 1 tsp / 5 ml Lemon juice; ½ tsp salt; ¾ tsp Cumin seeds; ¾-1 tsp Garam masala; ¾ tsp Red chili powder; ½ tsp Cumin powder; ½ tsp Fennel powder; ½ cup / 50 g Tamarind concentrate (deseeded); ½ cup / 100 g Dates, pitted; ½ cup / 90-100 g Jaggery (grated) or brown sugar; 2 cups / 480 ml Water (for boiling); ½ cup / 120 ml Water (for blending); ½ - 1 tsp Red chili powder; ½ tsp / 1 g Roasted fennel powder; ½ tsp / 1 g Roasted cumin powder; ½ tsp / 1 g Ginger powder; ¾ tsp Roasted coriander powder; ½ tsp / 3 g Black salt or kosher salt

Love bite-sized cocktail snacks and samosas? This recipe checks both boxes! These mini-samosas may look untraditional, but their flavor is unmistakable! Crispy, flaky and packed full of spiced potatoes, these will be the talk of any gathering, any season, all year round.

Recipe byMarielle Fabie-Hussey

Prep1 hr 30 min

Cook45 min

Total2 hr 15 min

MakesMakes 30 to 40 mini cocktail samosas

DietariesVegetarian

Ingredients

Ingredient quantities shown in U.S. units.

Samosa Dough

2 cups250gAll-purpose flour
¼ cup60 mlOil or ghee
6 Tbsp15 mlwater
¾ tsp¾ tspCumin seeds (optional)
¾ tsp¾ tspsalt

Potato Filling

4500gRusset potato
½ cup75gGreen peas, boiled fresh or frozen
1 Tbsp15 mlOil or ghee
1 Tbsp12gGinger, minced
1-21-2Green chilies
1 pinch1 pinchAsafoetida (optional)
4 Tbsp4 TbspCilantro leaves, chopped
1 tsp5 mlLemon juice
½ tsp½ tspsalt

Spices for Filling

¾ tsp¾ tspCumin seeds
¾-1 tsp¾-1 tspGaram masala
¾ tsp¾ tspRed chili powder
½ tsp½ tspCumin powder
½ tsp½ tspFennel powder

Tamarind Chutney

½ cup50 gTamarind concentrate (deseeded)
½ cup100 gDates, pitted
½ cup90-100 gJaggery (grated) or brown sugar
2 cups480 mlWater (for boiling)
½ cup120 mlWater (for blending)
½ - 1 tsp½ - 1 tspRed chili powder
½ tsp1 gRoasted fennel powder
½ tsp1 gRoasted cumin powder
½ tsp1 gGinger powder
¾ tsp¾ tspRoasted coriander powder
½ tsp3 gBlack salt or kosher salt

Method

Build the Flaky Dough

Mix the flour, cumin seeds, salt, and oil in a bowl. Rub the mixture between palms for 3–4 minutes until it looks like fine breadcrumbs.
The Shape Test: Squeeze a handful of flour. If it holds its shape without crumbling, the fat is perfectly incorporated.
Hydration: Add water 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead into a stiff, firm dough (much tighter than pizza or naan dough). Cover and rest for 25–30 minutes.

Make the Potato Filling

Prep the Spuds: Boil 4 medium potatoes until fork-tender. Cool and crumble them roughly by hand; do not mash them smooth. Aim for pieces smaller than the diameter of the pastry.
The Tempering: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan. Sizzle the cumin seeds, then sauté the ginger and green chilies for 1 minute.
Combine: Toss in the peas and all the core spices, blooming them for 30 seconds. Stir in the crumbled potatoes and salt. Sauté for 2–3 minutes so the flavors fuse. Finish with lemon juice, then remove from heat to cool completely.

Shape and Seal

Portioning for Minis: Rather than creating five hefty rounds, divide the dough into 10 to 15 smaller spheres.
Rolling Out: Flatten every sphere into a long oval, aiming for a length of 3 to 4 inches.
The Filling: Carefully spoon ~2 tablespoons of potato filling in a line, leaving an inch from the edge - this is the edge you will roll up to create a cylinder. Overfilling will cause the seams to rupture during frying.
Seal: Brush water along the edge. Overlap the edges and press lightly to seal.
Pro tip: store seam-side down to keep in place.

The "Low & Slow" Fry

Test the Oil: Heat a deep pot of oil. Drop a tiny piece of dough in—it should sit at the bottom for a moment and throw off tiny, lazy bubbles, not violently sizzle or float instantly.
The First Stage: Slide the samosas in. Fry on low heat undisturbed for 10–12 minutes. This cooks the pastry layers all the way through from the inside out and prevents blisters. Adjusted Fry: To account for their size, shorten the initial low-temperature frying phase to approximately 5 to 6 minutes before increasing the flame to achieve a crisp texture.
The Crisp Finish: Once the pastry skin feels firm, crank the heat up to medium and fry until the samosas turn an even, deep golden brown. Drain on a wire rack.
To serve: Cut the long cylinders into bite-sized pieces and serve with tamarind chutney for dipping.

Tamarind Chutney

In a small saucepan, combine the water, deseeded tamarind, pitted dates, and grated jaggery. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Let it simmer until the dates and tamarind turn completely soft and mushy.
Bloom the Spices: Stir in all the ground spices—chili, cumin, fennel, ginger, and coriander—along with the salt directly into the hot pot.
Simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes to allow the spices to wake up and infuse. Remove from the heat to cool completely.
Pour the cooled mixture into a blender. Add about ¼ to ½ cup of clean water to help it process until it forms a uniform paste.
Place a fine-mesh strainer over a clean bowl. Use the back of a strong spoon to press the sauce through, removing any fibrous bits.