Serves 14 people

Ingredients

For the Dough

2 ¾ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup corn starch
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon crushed fennel seeds
¼ cup ghee or vegetable oil
1 cup warm water

For the Filling

2 lbs Russet potato, peeled
*or*
2 lbs ground lamb
——————-
3 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
1 onion, small dice
1 tomato, small diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 chili pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1” ginger, minced
1/2” cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 cloves
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground black pepper

For the Tamarind Chutney

1 ¼ cup water
4 dried dates, pits removed
1/8 cup lemon juice
½  cup jaggery or piloncillo or brown sugar
3/4 cup tamarind pulp

For the Mint Chutney

1 bunch cilantro
2 bunches mint
1 small green chile
1/4” ginger, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/8 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup yogurt
1/4 cup water

Special Equipment

Food processor
Rolling pin
Circle biscuit cutters
Chinois or fine mesh strainer
Fry pot
Fry oil

Instructions

For the Dough

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and knead until smooth.  Cover with a damp towel and allow to rest for half an hour.  Roll out with a mixture of half corn starch and half flour to a thickness of 1/8”.  Cut into 2” circles and cut each circle in half.

For the Filling – two options

Vegetarian option:

Boil the potato in a large pot of salted water with a few slices of ginger and some vegetable scraps and cilantro stems until it is fork tender. Chop potato into bite sized pieces. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and toast the cumin seeds, cloves and cinnamon stick for 2 minutes.  Add the ghee or vegetable oil then add the onion, garlic, ginger and chili.  Sauté for 2 minutes then add potatoes.  Continue to sauté for 3-4 minutes being careful not to burn the garlic.  Add the rest of the spices.  Cook for another two minutes then add the tomatoes.  Cook for another minute then add a little water and simmer until potato is tender and water has evaporated.  Add the peas and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Lamb option:
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and toast the cumin seeds, cloves and cinnamon stick for 2 minutes.  Add the ghee or vegetable oil then add the onion, garlic, ginger and chili.  Sauté for 2 minutes then add the ground lamb.  Continue to cook the ground lamb mixture for 5 minutes or until fully cooked and browned.  Skim out any excess fat. Add the rest of the spices.  Cook for another two minutes then add the tomatoes.  Cook for another minute then deglaze with a little water and simmer until water has been absorbed.  Add the peas and season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the mint chutney

Process all the ingredients in blender or food processor beginning with the ginger and garlic, then adding the chili, then the herbs.  Lastly add the lemon juice, water, and yogurt.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the tamarind chutney

Simmer the jaggery, tamarind, dates, and ginger in the juice and water for 5 minutes.  Puree and strain through a chinois.

To build and bake the samosas

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. (You can fry as well)  Using finger bowls, moisten half of the straight side of pre-cut half circle dough.  Bring the two halves together to form a cone and seal with your fingers.  Fill the cone with the lamb or potato filling and moisten half of the top edge of the dough.  Stretch the other half of the top edge of the dough over the filling to seal the cone.  Brush with ghee or oil and bake on a parchment lined sheet pan until golden brown. Or fry until golden brown and drain on paper towels.