My favorite snack for a long time has been a well-filled and juicy Samosa. A samosa that is seasoned with the right ingredients will be tasty and juicy and will hardly disappoint. Samosas can be filled in with vegetables, minced beef, chicken, and potatoes. A well-made delicious samosa in a good place will cost you a minimum of Uganda shillings 1000. Whilst on the street a samosa will cost as low as Uganda shillings 200. These are quite small and filled up with mostly a few cowpeas. I thought it is only right to learn how to make delicious Ugandan samosas.
What is a samosa.
Samosas can be defined as fried or baked pastries made in a triangular shape with fillings. The fillings of a samosa are commonly onions, peas, Irish potatoes, minced beef, minced chicken. They are a common snack in the local cuisines of South Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia, and East Africa.
The meat samosa
These are very delicious are filled in shredded chicken pieces or minced beef. These are good for children and those that love chicken or beef. They are juicy and savory in nature and very appetizing. Let’s learn how to make the meat samosa.
Ingredients needed to make delicious Ugandan Samosas
Ingredients needed for filling
500g of minced meat (chicken or beef)
4 tbsp of Vegetable cooking oil
Salt to taste
1 tsp of ground coriander
1 tsp of cumin
1 tsp of turmeric powder
2 big onions (finely Chopped)
A bunch of coriander leaves (finely chopped)
Ingredients needed for basic samosa dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ a cup of vegetable oil
- 1 egg for sealing the samosas
- 2/3 cup water, plus more for shaping the dough
- 2 cups of vegetable cooking oil for frying
Step by step process of making the Ugandan meat samosas
Step 1. Making the filling
Heat a large thick-bottomed frying pan over medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the pan and heat it up.
stir fry the onions in the oil for about 1 minute. Add in the spices (cumin, turmeric powder, coriander, and a little chili if you opt for it). Fry the onions until they turn golden brown.
Add in the minced beef or chicken and fry it over medium heat until it has browned. You can add a few cooked peas to this meat if you wish to.
Let the meat cook over low heat for about 20 minutes while stirring it from time to time. Don’t let the pan dry up or lose all its moisture, add some oil if this happens. Salt the meat mixture to taste.
Remove the meat from heat and set it aside to cool.
Step 2: Preparing the Samosa dough
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set them aside. In another large bowl, whisk the ¼ cup of oil and the water together.
Pour the oil and water mixture slowly into the dry flour mixture, stirring as you pour. Mix until the dough comes together to form a slightly shaggy but cohesive mixture.
Using your hands knead the dough in the bowl for about 1 minute, to make the dough more cohesive and pliable. Wrap the top of the bowl with plastic and let the dough sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Step 3; preparing and filling in the samosas
Remove the dough from its wrapping and divide it into 16 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball and set them aside.
Using a rolling pin, roll out one portion of dough into a thin circle. If the edges are ragged, you can clean them up by hand. Slice the dough circle in half, so you have two semi-circles. Repeat with the remaining dough. You’ll end up with 32 semi-circles.
How to shape a samosa cone?
Grab a portion of semi-circular dough, and fold in one corner. Slightly moisten the top of the folded-in corner with a beaten egg, and then fold the second half inward, sealing it with your fingers. Now, you’ve got a little cone to fill with your fillings.
Filling in the Samosas
Fill in the samosa cone with the meat mixture, until it’s about 2/3 full. Then, moisten the open edges of the dough with an egg and seal it tightly. Cover the finished samosas with a moist clean cloth as you continue to make the rest of the samosa.
Step 4; Cooking the Samosa
Samosas can be cooked using two methods, that is deep frying and baking. We shall have a look at the methods.
The baking method
Preheat the oven to about 400 degrees. Place the samosas on a lined baking tray sheet, spread them evenly leaving a similar gab between them for even cooking. Bake the samosas for about 10 minutes, or until they turn golden.
Remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly. They are best enjoyed when warm.
The frying method
Pour the vegetable cooking oil into a deep bottomed frying pan, and set it on a medium to the high source of heat. Check if the oil is ready by dropping in a tiny piece of dough, if it sizzles immediately then the oil is ready for deep frying.
With the seam side facing downwards, place a few samosas at a time in the hot oil and cook them until they are golden in color. Flip, them over and let the other side also cook to a golden brown color. using a slotted spoon remove the samosas and place them on the paper towels to blot any excess oil.
Repeat with the remaining batches. Let cool slightly, but serve warm.
For more tips on the deep frying cooking method click here
6 Tips that will enable you to make delicious Ugandan Samosa
- Set up your work station before starting any part of the process. Get all your ingredients ready and clean those that need washing. Get all the utensils and tools you will need already too.
- Keep the samosa wrappers covered with a moist and clean kitchen cloth to prevent them from drying out. This will keep them moist, flexible, and easy to fold.
- Don’t overfill your samosas to avoid spilling. You don’t want your samosas to bulge or explode once they hit the hot frying oil.
- Seal samosas with warm water. Have a bowl of warm water to dip your fingers in when you’re on the last fold. Wet the end of the samosa wrapper and press it in onto your wrapped samosa. Make sure it’s sealed properly so it doesn’t unwrap when you start frying.
- Place the samosas on a paper towel after frying, the paper towels absorb any excess oil in samosa. This makes sure your samosas stay crispy and fresh, and avoid getting soggy.
- Serve immediately. samosas don’t usually reheat well, so fry right before serving.