Four ways to teach an old samosa new tricks

Whether they’re laden in chutney at a street stall or filled with sweet milk for Diwali, we can’t get enough of these golden morsels.

Curd Samosa Chaat, Indian vegetarian snacks served with tamarind chutneys. Credit: ajaykampani/Getty Images

—- Catch Luke Nguyen's India from Thursday, 5 October 2023 at 8:30pm on SBS or stream free on SBS On Demand. —-

Fried until crispy, filled generously, and often served with chutney, samosas are the perfect snack.

While they’re most associated with India, they exist in many other countries, and were first mentioned by a Persian historian during the 11th century. “Samosas originated in the Middle East and were brought over by merchants. Now they’re one of the most eaten snacks in Southern India,” says Luke Nguyen in his SBS Food TV series Luke Nguyen’s India.

In the first episode, Nguyen visits a hole-in-the-wall eatery in Bangalore where the chefs prepare thousands of samosas a day. “The pastry is expertly folded in little parcels, a skill honed over many years. Mountains of ingredients are carefully added before they’re deep fried in vegetable oil,” explains the host.

A lifetime might not be enough to try all the samosas in the world, but we can start with some of our favourite Indian ones.

Dan Hong's aloo samosa Credit: Andrew Dorn

The MVP: Aloo samosa

Numerous versions of this spiced potato and peas samosa can be found all around India, and right here in Australia. In Northern India, you can distinguish the Punjabi samosa by its thick crust and triangular shape. Often served with chutney, they’re great paired with a cup of tea.

Try also: The Bengali version of a samosa, shingaras (or singaras) tends to be smaller, with a thinner crust. A winter specialty, the aloo phulkopir shingara, is stuffed with potato, cauliflower and peas, as well as peanuts, for an added crunch.

For meat lovers: Keema samosa

Keema means minced meat, and these samosas are most often filled with minced mutton, lamb or beef, that has been mixed with a rich blend of spices, herbs and onions. You can frequently find them on tables for Iftar and Eid.

Try also: Lukhmi, the flat and square samosa typical of Hyderabad, accompanied by green chillies and onions, or a side of seekh kebab. The flaky crust, made with flour, ghee and yoghurt, is stuffed with spiced mutton mince.

Flavour bomb: samosa chaat

Samosa chaat takes the humble samosas to the next level by breaking them into pieces and serving them with toppings like chutneys, chole (chickpea curry), and sev (crunchy noodles).

Chef and restaurateur Jessi Singh has samosa chaat on his menu at Daughter in Law (Melbourne and Adelaide) and Pinky Ji (Sydney). “It’s delicious because it combines the crispy and savoury elements of samosa with the tangy and spicy flavours of chaat. The combination of textures and flavours, along with the tamarind chutney or chickpeas curry create a harmonious and satisfying taste experience that Indian people find irresistible,” he says.

Try also: The vada pav’s cousin, the samosa pav. A samosa is stuffed into a bread roll with coriander and mint chutney, tamarind chutney and dry garlic chutney.

Something sweet: Khoya samosa

Filled with a creamy mixture of sweetened khoya (reduced milk solids), dried fruits, and cardamom, this sweet is a staple during festivals like Diwali. Also called mawa samosas, they come in many shapes, including half-moons.

Try also: The traditional coconut samosa and fruit samosa, or the modern chocolate samosa.