Samosas with Pork | Sybaritica

Samosas, for those unfamiliar with them, are Indian snacks consisting of a deep-fried stuffed dumpling that are now popular around the world. In India, there are a variety of regional names and different forms: They can be bite-size tiny, or things the size of a small baby’s head, they can be folded in triangles or half-moons, and can contain all sorts of fillings such as spiced meat, potatoes or other vegetables. Some even contain sweet fillings apparently, although I have not encountered these myself as yet.

Meat-stuffed Samosas usually contain beef, lamb or chicken, but I am going to use pork for this version as it will allow me to use some of the pulled-pork I had left over from my recent Sunday Gravy experiment…

The Ingredients

• Basic Dumpling Dough using 1 cup of flour;
• 2 cups Shredded Cooked Pork;
• ½ cup frozen Peas;
• ¼ cup Onion, finely chopped;
• 3-4 tbsp. Hot Curry Paste (I used Patak’s)
• Extra flour for rolling (not shown)

I usually make Samosa’s with ground beef and blend my own spice seasoning. However, for the purposes of showing you the basics, I am using the expedient of a commercial curry paste on this occasion.

The Method

First, mix your pork with the peas, onion and curry paste and set aside.

Then, divide your dough into twelve even portions and roll them into small bowls.

Using a little extra flour on your rolling surface to keep the dough from sticking, roll the balls out into thin disks about 5 inches in diameter.

To form the Samosas, begin by folding one side of the disk over to the other and then, while holding one portion open, use the tines of a fork to crimp about half the curved side where the folded parts meet, thus making a little hollow pocket.

Now spoon about one-twelfth of your eat mixture into the cavity using a spoon. It helps if you just begin with a little at a time and pack it down, ensuring you reach the bottom corner of the pocket.

When you have done this, press the sides around the opening together and, again, crimp with a fork.

Once you have completed forming all the Samosas, heat deep-frying oil over a medium flame and fry a few at a time until they are nice and crisply golden. Remove each batch as it is done and drain on paper towels.

You can serve now while still piping hot but you can also store them in the fridge for several days and reheat for about 5 or 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Often, they are served with a mint chutney, or a spiced yoghurt based sauce, but I like mine with a chili paste diluted with either Tamarind, or lemon juice (as seen in the first picture).

The Verdict

These were very tasty actually, although I have to say that I think I prefer the ground beef variety. The pork was pleasant enough but I like the texture of ground rather than shredded meat for this type of preparation. If you try these, please let me know how they worked for you…

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