Crispy, golden and packed with flavour – yes, (of course) we’re describing a scrumptious samoosa. Samoosas’ adaptability and rich flavour profile have made them a cherished part of South Africa’s diverse food culture. Want to make this irresistible Cape Malay snack from scratch? Follow these tips to create perfect delicious samoosas at home! 

Store-bought will do the trick 

Taking on the challenge of making your own samoosa dough? Avoid over-kneading the dough and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes. Then, roll your rested dough thinly on a wooden cutting board or silicone mat to prevent sticking, eliminating the need for extra flour. This will ensure that the samoosa shells turn out fabulously flaky and crispy after frying. If you want to make things much easier, you can buy pre-made phyllo dough or spring-roll wrappers from your local supermarket. Simply fill them with your preferred ingredients and follow your recipe’s instructions. This saves you time and effort, allowing you to enjoy a delicious homemade dish with less hassle. 

Seal it just right 

Here comes the tricky part! Properly seal the edges of the samoosas to prevent them from opening during frying. When folding the homemade dough, wet the edges with water and press them firmly to ensure that your tasty triangles are sealed properly. The ones made using sheets like phyllo dough or spring roll wrappers are sealed with a paste made from flour and water. This paste acts as an adhesive, ensuring that the wrappers stay closed and the fillings remain securely encased during cooking. 

Check the heat of your oil 

Heat the oil over medium heat to around 180°C – test by dipping the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil; it’s ready when bubbles form around it. Once the oil is hot, lower the heat to maintain a steady temperature while frying. Ensuring that your oil temperature is just right will give you that perfect (and delicious) golden glow.  

Drain excess oil 

After frying, drain the excess oil from the samoosas to keep them crispy. This step is crucial for maintaining the texture and flavour of the samoosas. 

Whether enjoyed at a festive gathering or bought from a street vendor, the samoosa continues to be a symbol of culinary fusion and cultural integration. 

The post 4 top tips to fry up the perfect samoosa  appeared first on MyKitchen.

There’s nothing we love more than gobbling up a plateful of traditional samoosas, so we made these beefy baked samoosas to enjoy anytime at home!

MAKES 4 // COOKING TIME 40 min

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp canola oil
1 garlic clove, grated
2 cm ginger, grated
1 red chilli (optional)
2 tbsp garam masala
2 carrots, grated
500 g lean beef mince
1 tin tomato puree
1 cup frozen peas
400 g phyllo pastry
½ cup butter or ghee

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Start the filling by sautéing the onion in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and spices, and sauté for a further 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the carrots, followed by the mince. Cook until well browned, then add the tomato puree. Allow the filling to cook for another 5 minutes before adding the peas. The mixture should be more or less dry.
3. Prepare and fold the samoosas using the illustration for reference.
4. Place on a baking tray and bake the samoosas for 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

Breyani is another Cape Malay classic that packs all the flavour!

The post Try these giant beefy baked samoosas at home appeared first on MyKitchen.

Samoosas will always be a South African favourite, so we thought we would give it a try with these cheesy Peppadew and corn samoosas.

MAKES 25 // COOKING TIME 50 min

INGREDIENTS
For the samoosas
1½ cups grated Cheddar
½ cup corn kernels
⅓  cup chopped Peppadews
2 spring onions, chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1½ tsp curry powder
½ tsp cumin
25 samoosa wrappers
3 tbsp flour mixed with
2½ tbsp water
For the herb sauce
⅓  cup yoghurt
Juice of 1 lemon
1½ cups coriander
¾ cup mint
½ cup parsley
2 green chillies, chopped
1 garlic clove, grated
½ tsp sugar
1 tbsp water

METHOD
For the samoosas
1. Mix the Cheddar, corn kernels, Peppadews, spring onions, herbs and spices together. Season.
2. Drop a tablespoon of filling onto the bottom left corner of a samoosa wrapper. Fold up and over into a triangle shape, making sure the corners are sealed and the filling is completely covered.
3. Seal the edges with the flour-water mixture. Repeat with the rest of the wrappers and filling.
4. Heat enough oil to deep-fry over medium-high heat. Fry the samoosas in batches until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a paper towel.
For the herb sauce
1. Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth. Serve with the cheesy Peppadew and corn samoosas.

Top Tip
Keep your samoosa wrappers under a damp tea towel while you work so that they don’t dry out while you’re wrapping the other samoosas.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: K-Leigh Siebritz // HMimages.co.za

Our biltong and roast pepper calzones are another local classic.

The post Cheesy Peppadew and corn samoosas appeared first on MyKitchen.