Samosa

Every time we cook a curry, I forget about samosas, yet to taste a freshly cooked one, with light crispy pastry & flavoursome fillings is an absolute delight. Then I remember about them just as we're tucking into the chutneys, pickles & poppadoms when I really miss their presence. Not this time, I decided I would write a note in my curry pot, 'REMEMBER SAMOSAS' :) so I wouldn't forget. I planned enough time, so I could make samosas and onion bahjis to accompany our curry. Although I didn't, on this occasion,  make the filo pastry.
The result, very full & satisfied tummies ;)

 Ingredients 
Minced Beef ( only because I had some left over, but you could use any meat)
Potato
Red Pepper
Carrot
Red Onion
Garlic Bulbs
Garam Masala, Cumin, Coriander
Chilli
Tomato Puree

Filo Pastry (bought a box of filo sheets from the supermarket & popped them in the fridge)

 Method 

• Wash Mince
• Peel & dice potato into small cubes
• Peel, de seed & dice red pepper into small cubes
• Peel, slice & dice carrot into small cubes
• Top, tail, & peel red onion, slice & dice into small cubes
• Peel, crush , slice & dice garlic
• Boil kettle then add the boiling water to a bowl, add pinch of salt then add  the cubed potatoes & blanch
• Add drizzle of oil to a small cauldron, heat & add mince & garlic .
• Once mince is browned add onions, stir & cook
• Add the blanched potatoes, mix in
• Add the remaining vegetables add some boiling stock 
• Stir & leave to cook whilst preparing the filo sheets
• Allow to cool once sheets are placed open ready for filling. 

As this was the first time I'd made samosas, I decided to make them the night before we were having the curry (we were also having friends around for dinner) so if they were a huge disaster I could just forget about them & enjoy our evening but if they were a huge success (ie they looked reasonable & edible) I'd simply freeze them then cook them fresh the following night. Unfortunately my camera battery ran out before I created the little triangular parcels so we have a 

( perhaps just as well as they were put together in quite a fashion of their own :)

• Then I placed two - or three depending upon how well I wrapped - sheets of filo on the works surface
• Using a table spoon I then placed a spoonful of filling in a corner of the sheet
• Then I folded the pastry over the filling, turning & sealing the ends with milk.
• I make the parcel into a triangular shape which is created naturally by turning the parcel over one way then another. Remember to seal as you go with a little milk on a pastry brush.
• *at this point I popped mine into the freezer to cook the following night*
• Add to shallow pan of hot oil, turn & cook continuously until brown & piping hot
• Drain excess oil off by blotting into some kitchen roll
• Serve immediately

*The following night  I removed the samosas from the freezer & cooked immediately 

• Served them with natural yogurt, pickles, chutneys, poppadoms & onion bhaji's as our starter. They were absolutely yummy & quite an authentic flavoured  (I must get a camera that can be used at night :) Everyone enjoyed them.

Chutneys, Pickles & Yogurts