Deep-fried foods make for tasty meals, no doubt. If you however want a snack that’s not fries, beef samosas are the way to go. They are the perfect combination of pastry, spices and beef. They’re a popular part of Kenyan and Indian cuisine. Be warned- one is never enough!
Ingredients
a) For the samosa filling:
1 kg minced beef
1 bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
2 red onions, finely chopped
1-inch fresh ginger, grated
1 fresh green chilli, finely chopped (optional)
½ tsp turmeric
5 cloves of garlic, grated
½ tsp cumin seeds
Juice of ½ a lemon (optional)
Salt and ground pepper to taste
b) For the pastry:
4 cups of all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ½ cups of warm water
1 teaspoon salt
Extra flour for rolling
Method
a) Preparing the meat
Cook meat in an uncovered pan or wok over medium heat.
Stir until all lumps are broken.
Before the water completely evaporates add ginger, garlic, chili, onions and spices.
Season with salt and pepper according to your preference.
Stir in fresh coriander and lemon juice.
Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
b) Preparing the pastry
- In a mixing bowl, mix flour, salt and vegetable oil until crumbly.
- Add water little at a time as you knead.
- Keep kneading for 15-20 minutes until soft, smooth and not sticking to your hands or the walls of the bowl.
- Cover dough pastry in a slightly greased container and let it rest for 30minutes to 1 hour at a room temperature.
- Divide the dough into 4-5 equal balls.
- Roll out each ball into 6-inch diameter circle, brush a little oil on it and lightly sprinkle some flour.
- Repeat this process with all the other balls of dough while gently laying them on top of each other.
- Use your rolling pin to thinly roll out the piled dough into a diameter of 10-12 inches.
- Preheat a skillet on a medium heat and place the rolled out dough on top of it. Let it cook until it starts to bubble up (make sure not to burn it). Flip it over and cook the other side until it also bubbles up.
- Neatly place your half cooked wraps on a clean surface and using a knife, quarter them into 4 equal parts (with each part forming a triangle).
- Separate the triangles very gently and cover them with a clean cloth to avoid drying up.
c) Deep frying
- In a bowl, mix ½ a cup of flour with a little water to make a thick flour paste- this is the glue for sealing samosa pockets.
- Fold all samosa pockets first into cones then fill them with meat.
- Seal using the glue you prepared.
- Heat up oil in a deep frying pan.
- Test your oil by gently dropping a small piece of dough into the oil. If the dough stays at the bottom for a couple of seconds then rises to the surface then your oil is ready for frying. If it rises up immediately, then your oil is too hot- reduce the heat.
- Deep fry each samosa till golden brown on both sides and crispy. Use a kitchen paper towel to drain off any excess oil.
- Serve hot or cold with your favourite sauce. Enjoy!
Tips
- Make sure the pockets are well sealed or else they’ll open up when deep frying.
- Filled and sealed samosa pockets can be stored in the refrigerator for deep frying the next day. You can also deep freeze them for a much later date.
- For a healthier option, you can bake the samosas in an oven instead of deep-frying.
