Aloo Samosa

Method

1. Put the potatoes, skins on, in a 18 cm pot and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then lower to medium heat and simmer for 20 min, until a skewer slides easily into the centre. Drain, let them cool a little, peel and break them up with your hands into rough 1 cm pieces. Don't mash them smooth: a good samosa has chunky potato.

   Add in this stepFloury potatoes 260 g

   high heat→medium heat

2. Make the dough while the potatoes cook. In a bowl, mix the flour, the ajwain crushed between your palms and the salt, pour in the melted ghee and rub it in with your fingertips for 3 to 4 minutes. It's ready when a handful squeezed in your fist holds its shape; this is what makes the crust crisp and blistered. Add the cold water a little at a time and knead for 2 to 3 minutes into a firm, stiff dough (a soft dough soaks up oil). Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes.

   Add in this stepAll-purpose flour 100 gAjwain (carom seeds) ½ tspSalt (dough) ¼ tspGhee, melted (or vegetable oil) 20 gCold water 38 ml

3. Heat the oil in a 22 cm pan over medium heat and fry the cumin seeds and crushed coriander seeds for 20 seconds until fragrant. Add the ginger and green chili for 30 seconds, then the peas for 1 minute. Add the potato, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, amchur and salt and toss gently for 4 min. Turn off the heat, stir in the coriander, spread out on a plate and let it cool completely; warm filling makes the dough soggy and split.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil (filling) 2 tspCumin seeds ½ tspCoriander seeds, coarsely crushed 1 tspGrated fresh ginger 1½ tspGreen chili, finely chopped 1Frozen green peas 40 gKashmiri chili powder ½ tspGaram masala ½ tspAmchur (dried mango powder) ½ tspSalt (filling) ½ tspFresh coriander (cilantro), chopped 2 tbsp

   medium heat

4. Knead the dough again for 1 minute and divide into one ball per serving (about 80 g each). Roll a ball into a 2 mm thin oval about 18×13 cm and cut it in half across: that makes 2 samosas. Brush water along half of the straight edge of one half-circle, overlap the two ends and press firmly to form a cone. Holding the cone, fill it about four-fifths full, brush water around the open rim, make a small pleat at the back and pinch it tightly shut. Any gap will burst in the oil, so check every seam. Keep the shaped samosas under a damp cloth.

5. Pour the frying oil into a deep 16 cm pot or wok (at least 4 cm deep, no more than half full). Heat over medium heat for about 6 min to 150°C. Without a thermometer: a small piece of dough should sink, then rise slowly with fine bubbles. Keep water away and the lid within reach.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil for frying 800 ml

   medium heat

6. Gently slide the samosas in, away from you, and fry in 2 batch(es) so they don't touch. Fry over medium-low heat for 10 min, adjusting the heat to keep the oil at 140–150°C and turning now and then: they will barely colour at first but firm up and form tiny blisters. Then raise to medium heat and fry for 3 min more, until deep golden. Drain standing up on a rack and bring the oil back to 150°C before the next batch. Serve warm with ketchup or chutney.

   medium-low heat→medium heat