15 August 2020

Singara / Samosa (Bengali style)

Ingredients for the stuffing

• Potato (with skin) boiled and diced 2 cups.
• Panch phoron 1 tsp (mix of whole spices, same proportion: fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and nigella or black cumin seeds).
• Dried red chili 2.
• Green chili 1.
• Ginger grated 1 tsp.
• Turmeric 1/4 tsp.
• Salt to taste.
• Refined oil 1.5 cup.
• Roasted peanut 1/4 cup.

Ingredients for the Singara skin

• AP flour 2 cups.
• Oil 3 tbs.
• Salt 1/2 tsp.
• Water.

Directions

In a mixing bowl take the flour, salt and oil. Rub them together to incorporate and do the following test to check it—take one hand full of the mixture in your palm and press it. If it holds its shape then you have the perfect mix, if not mix it more. Now add water little at a time to make a stiff dough. No need to kneed it, just mix everything all together, cover and rest it for 1 hour.

Now lets make the stuffing. In a pan, add panch phoron and dry red chili. Turn the heat on and dry roast them for just 30 seconds to get them warm. Take the mix out of the pan and with the help of a mortar & pestle (or a rolling pin) break them in coarse bits (not very fine bits). In the same pan, take 1 tbs oil, heat it up and add this coarse mixture, the grated ginger and fine cut green chili. Let them cook for a minute, a nice aroma will start filling the kitchen at this point. Now add potatoes, salt, turmeric, and peanuts. Mix them and fry for a few minutes. Let them cool.

Let’s now go back to the samosa skin. Take out the flour and now kneed it for 2 minutes. Roll it like a log and cut ping pong sized ball. Roll the balls in oval shape about 5 inches long and 4 inches wide. Cut it in the middle to make two parts. To make a cone use water in the straight end and press them gently. Now fill the cone with the potato stuffing and seal the open end applying a little water. (See the first picture to know what you are trying to get to.) In a frying pan start to heat oil in medium hot (not very hot). To know if the temperature is right, take a pea size flour dough and drop in the oil, it should not sizzle. Small bubbles will come up when the temperature is perfect. Now fry the singaras to golden brown in medium heat.

Enjoy them with tomato ketchup or your favorite chutney or a hot cup of tea!