Samosa

also called samosas · sambusa · singara · vegetable samosa · punjabi samosa

The table

2 cups(260 g)all-purpose flourrub the fat in, mix to a very stiff doughrest 30 min under a clothroll, halve, and fold into conesfry 15 min at 300°F, until pale gold and blistered
1 tsp(carom seeds, crushed in the palm)ajwain
1 tspkosher salt
1/4 cup(53 g)ghee
1/3 cup(80 mL)water
2 tspcumin seedsfry 2 min, until the peas lose their raw greencrush in, off the heat
1 Tbs(grated)fresh ginger
2(chopped fine)green chiles
1 cup(140 g)frozen peas
2 Tbs(30 mL)neutral oil
1 1/2 lb(680 g; boiled whole in their skins, peeled, cooled)boiled potatoes
2 tsp(dried mango powder)amchur
1 tspgaram masala
1/4 cup(chopped)cilantro
1 1/2 tspkosher salt
2 Tbswater
6 cups(1.4 L)neutral oil
Low and slow is the whole trick it is the opposite of every other thing that goes in a fryer. Hot oil browns a samosa in four minutes and leaves the pastry raw and hard inside; fifteen minutes at 300°F is what gives the flaky bubbled shell. There is nothing in the filling that needs cooking so nothing is lost by taking the time. Keema samosas are the same cone with spiced lamb mince in them
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.18 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1rub the fat in, mix to a very stiff dough

3fry 2 min, until the peas lose their raw green

4crush in, off the heat

goes in with what step 3 made

5roll, halve, and fold into cones

goes in with what steps 2 and 4 made

6fry 15 min at 300°F, until pale gold and blistered

goes in with what step 5 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 45 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
17 minof the steps that give a time

3 of the 6 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 2 hr.

  1. rub the fat in, mix to a very stiff dough

    not timedfrom the start

  2. fry 2 min, until the peas lose their raw green

    2 minneeds youfrom the start

  3. rest 30 min under a cloth

    30 minwalk awayfrom the start

  4. crush in, off the heat

    not timed2 min in

  5. roll, halve, and fold into cones

    not timed30 min in

  6. fry 15 min at 300°F, until pale gold and blistered

    15 minneeds you30 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time.

You'll need skillet

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Samosa
>> category: Dumplings & Rolls
>> tags: indian, potato, pastry, fried, starter
>> counters: Curry House
>> aka: samosas, sambusa, singara, vegetable samosa, punjabi samosa
>> pairs-with: mint-chutney, papadom
>> servings: 12
>> time: 2 hr
>> step.1: rub the fat in, mix to a very stiff dough
>> step.2: rest 30 min under a cloth
>> step.3: fry 2 min, until the peas lose their raw green
>> step.4: crush in, off the heat
>> step.5: roll, halve, and fold into cones
>> step.6: fry 15 min at 300°F, until pale gold and blistered

Mix @all-purpose flour{2%cup}(260 g), @ajwain{1%tsp}(carom seeds, crushed in the palm) and @kosher salt{1%tsp} with @ghee{1/4%cup}(53 g) rubbed through to the texture of wet sand, then bring it together with @water{1/3%cup}(80 mL) into a dough much stiffer than a pastry.

Rest @&(~1)dough{} under a damp cloth ~rest{30%min}.

Fry @cumin seeds{2%tsp}, @fresh ginger{1%Tbs}(grated), @green chiles{2}(chopped fine) and @frozen peas{1%cup}(140 g) in @neutral oil{2%Tbs}(30 mL) in a #skillet{} ~fry{2%min}.

Crush @boiled potatoes{1 1/2%lb}(680 g; boiled whole in their skins, peeled, cooled) into @&(~1)pea masala{} off the heat with @amchur{2%tsp}(dried mango powder), @garam masala{1%tsp}, @cilantro{1/4%cup}(chopped) and @kosher salt{1 1/2%tsp}, leaving it lumpy.

Roll @&(~3)rested dough{} in six balls into thin ovals, cut each in half across, brush the straight edge with @water{2%Tbs}, roll it into a cone, pack it with @&(~1)filling{} and pinch the top shut in a pleat.

Fry @&(~1)filled cones{} in @neutral oil{6%cup}(1.4 L) at 300°F (150°C) ~fry{15%min}, turning them, until they are pale gold and the surface has gone bubbled and blistered rather than smooth.

Low and slow is the whole trick, and it is the opposite of every other thing that goes in a fryer. Hot oil browns a samosa in four minutes and leaves the pastry raw and hard inside; fifteen minutes at 300°F is what gives the flaky, bubbled shell. There is nothing in the filling that needs cooking, so nothing is lost by taking the time. Keema samosas are the same cone with spiced lamb mince in them.