Why You’ll Love this Recipe
This post has detailed instructions and photos so that if you’re a first-timer you’ll have absolutely no issue making them successfully. I promise it’ll feel like you have desi auntie on the other side of the computer holding your hand through the entire process. By the end, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you’re able to fold, fill, and fry the samosas. When it comes to samosas there are two types of people: the first type of person doesn’t enjoy samosas… they just quietly eat the filling because it’s a crime to say you don’t like them. The second type of person will eat at least three - mostly by accident - because they’re so good. Whichever one you are, you’re bound to love this Paneer Aloo Samosa recipe, which was passed down to me by my mother. These Paneer Aloo Samosas have a buttery crispy flaky crust that’s deep fried and filled with a well-balanced, flavorful paneer and potato filling which soaks in all of the spices. They are perfect for special occasions - because there’s truly nothing more impressive than sharing freshly-made, homemade samosas at a dinner party.
What is a Samosa?
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of going to a South Asian wedding, Indian restaurant, or really any event with your desi friends, you’ve most likely tried a samosa.
The Ingredients to make Samosas
The Spices
Other Ingredients
Flour - Use plain, unbleached all-purpose flour Ghee - This is a traditional cooking fat in lieu to oils in Indian cooking. The milk solids and impurities are removed from regular butter to make clarified butter. Melted ghee hydrates the dough to give it an intense buttery flavor. Substitute ghee with vegetable oil. Potatoes - Use yellow potatoes, like russet, yukon, or Idaho. I use smaller sized potatoes to decrease the boiling time. Paneer - Paneer is a mild Indian cheese. Use a plain block of paneer that you can get at the grocery store or make at home with this homemade paneer recipe. Flavored paneer, like the turmeric paneer pictured above, is great, too! Cilantro - This is completely optional but it adds a pop of color to an otherwise very brown/yellow appetizer.
How to make Samosas
Part 1: How to make the Paneer Aloo Filling
Step 3 - Begin heating a pan on low to medium heat. Add about a tablespoon of neutral oil into the pan and add the cumin seeds. Roast them for about a minute or until you see them start to pop and dance in the oil. It’s typically folded into a triangular cone which is then deep-fried, giving it a crispy flaky outer shell with a savory filling. It’s served with a cilantro-mint chutney and tamarind chutney when starting a meal along with other snacks and chaats. Another delicious way to eat samosas is to smash them and eat them in sandwiches with cheese and chutney, or as Samosa Chaat with chutneys, dahi (yogurt), and sev (crispy chickpea noodles). You may also need a trip to the Indian grocery store for a few specialty blends and spices. Once you have the spices, they’ll last you quite a while. I use pre-ground spices for all of this except for the cumin seeds. Feel free to toast your whole spices and freshly grind them. I’ve denoted the spices which may require a trip to the Indian grocer with an asterisk* and included substitutions if you can’t find them.
Coriander - Ground coriander has an earthy, sweet citrus flavor. It’s made by grinding the seeds of a cilantro plant. Aamchur* - Also known as mango powder. It’s made from dried mangoes and has a sour taste. Substitute with a ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice. Chaat Masala* - A blend of ground spices with a distinct tangy flavor that’s used to make chaat, fruit salads, etc. Substitute with ¼ teaspoon of aamchur, kala namak (black salt), or pomegranate seed powder. Garam Masala - A warming blend of spices, translated to “warming spices”, commonly used in Indian cooking. Cumin Seeds - Cumin is earthy and warm in flavor. The seeds are toasted in oil and mixed into the potatoes. Asafoetida* - Also known as hing; it is commonly used in Indian cooking to replace garlic and onion. It smells strongly of garlic and onion and only requires the tiniest pinch. Some people say Pure Indian Foods has the best hing they’ve ever tasted. Substitute with ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder and ⅛ teaspoon of onion powder. Turmeric - Known for its striking yellow color, turmeric is earthy and has several health benefits.
Personally, we prefer our samosa crust to be crispy, flaky, and tasty from the richness of ghee. However, the tradeoff is that they’re better served on the day of frying or kept un-fried in the freezer until you’re ready to fry and enjoy. To prep the paneer, you want to start with about a 4 oz block of paneer. I used paneer that was mixed with turmeric but plain paneer will soak up a ton of flavor. You can purchase paneer from Indian grocery markets or even large grocers like Whole Foods. You can also make your own with only milk and lemon juice using this homemade paneer recipe. Step 2 - Boil the potatoes in salty water for about 10 minutes. I used 8 small potatoes to decrease the boiling time. Dump out the hot water and rinse the potatoes in cold water. Peel and remove the skin. Mash the potatoes using a fork or potato masher. Step 4 - Transfer the mashed potatoes and cook them until they start to brown a little. At this point, add the rest of the spices and the shredded paneer. You can also add in peas or other veggies here. Mix it really well until everything is fully combined and the spices are evenly distributed. Step 5 - Most of the water content should have evaporated by now, leaving a uniform texture. Remove the pan from heat, add in some chopped cilantro, and allow the mixture to fully cool so the potatoes release all of its steam. Be careful not to overcook the potato filling so that it isn’t bone dry. The filling is now done and we can get started on shaping and filling the samosas.
Part 2: How to make the dough, shape the samosa, and fill it
There are six total steps for making, filling, and sealing the samosa.
Part 3: Deep Frying Samosas - The Trick to the Crispiest Samosas
How to Serve Paneer Aloo Samosas
If we have samosas that have been sitting around for a few days and are starting to get a little bit dry, we will smash them and add a little bit of dahi (yogurt), tamarind chutney, cilantro mint chutney, sev, pomegranate seeds, cilantro, and chaat masala to make Samosa Chaat. If you have leftover dough, you should definitely check out these dessert Pumpkin Pie Samosas! My mother uses woks or kadhais to deep fry all of her Indian snacks and desserts. I use a dutch oven. Use whatever vessel makes sense for you, but make sure you use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil to fry the samosas. If the oil is too hot, the samosas will expand and burst. You’ll need to remove it, drain the oil from the samosa, and bake the samosas instead to prevent the filling from soaking up all the oil. If it’s not hot enough, the samosa won’t begin frying and soak up a ton of oil. You’ll have greasy and soggy samosas. These perfect little hand-held vegetarian appetizers are typically served at weddings, events, and restaurants as a starter snack. It’s usually served along with other snacks like chaats as well as a hot cup of chai. You can try it with this Peanut Chaat and a Mango Lassi. Okay, you’ve made it to the end. Your samosas are going to look so chef’s kiss. I cannot wait to see them!
Don’t overcook the filling. The potatoes will continue to release a lot of steam as it cools down, so keep that in mind as you’re sautéing. Take the time to rub the dough and ghee together. Really rub the ghee and flour together into each other with your hands! Don’t overwork the dough. Only knead the dough until it comes together. You don’t need a stand mixer with a dough hook. Rest the dough. If it doesn’t have the time to rest, the dough will be tough to roll out. Roll out the dough evenly. Oh, you think it’s a thin oval? It’s not. Roll it out more. You don’t want to the dough to be translucent and easy to rip, but it should be thin enough to see a bit of light through it. Roll it out evenly! The edges should be a thin as the middle is, otherwise you’ll end up with edges that are plain thick fried dough. Don’t use extra flour when rolling. This dough is hydrated just perfectly. It shouldn’t require oil or flour to prevent sticking. Pleat the samosa before sealing. Directly across the middle seam, create a pleat to get the perfect shape. Redistribute the filling before frying. Sometimes the filling will make the samosa a wonky shape. Redistribute the filling so the samosa is a perfect cone with your fingers, but do it very carefully so the dough doesn’t rip anywhere. Use enough oil. The samosas should float to the top of the oil and avoid hitting the bottom of the pot. If it hits the bottom, the crust will get super dark in that area. Fry on a low heat. The heat can’t be so low that the samosa doesn’t fry, otherwise it’ll get soggy. If the heat is too high, the samosa will burst and the filling will fall out. The samosa dough will also bubble if it’s too hot. Cook it low and slow for the first few minutes until it’s a pale golden brown, then increase the heat. Make them with friends and family. Have one person rolling out the dough, another person folding, another filling and sealing, and another frying! It’ll make the process go much faster.
More Indian Appetizer Recipes to try
If you love paneer, try these Paneer Masala Cheesesteaks or Indian Afternoon Tea Sandwiches.
Recipe
I’d love to know what you thought of this recipe! Don’t forget to leave a comment and ⭐️ star rating below! Thinking about making this recipe? Enter your email and I’ll send it straight to your inbox to save for later. Plus, get new recipe inspiration from me every week! By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Masala and Chai.
