Ingredients

Pastry:

2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt 

1/4 cup ghee or vegetable oil

Spice Blend:

1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds 

4 peppercorns 

1 clove  

One 1/2-inch piece cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

Pinch of turmeric

Filling:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds 

1/4 cup peanuts, optional

1 to 2 green peppers chopped 

One 1-inch piece ginger, finely chopped

12 ounces potatoes, boiled, peeled and hand crushed (2 packed cups crushed) 

1/2 cup frozen peas, rinsed and drained 

Kosher salt 

1/3 cup fresh chadon beni

Tamarind-Date Chutney, recipe follows, for serving

Tamarind-Date Chutney:

1/4 cup seedless tamarind

1/4 cup date paste 

1/4 cup brown sugar, plus more if needed

1/4 teaspoon toasted cumin powder 

1/4 teaspoon red chili powder 

1/4 teaspoon ginger powder 

1/4 teaspoon black salt 

Salt 

Directions:

• For the pastry: Add the flour, salt and seeds to a medium bowl and mix. Add the ghee or oil and mix in with your fingers until the dough looks crumbly. Add tablespoons of cold water a little at a time to make a stiff dough. Try to knead the dough as little as possible.  Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.

• For the spice blend: To roast the spices, heat a small cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the whole spices: coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns, clove, and cinnamon and roast, for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a small bowl to cool. Add the red chili powder and turmeric. Once cool, transfer to a grinder or mortar and pestle and grind to a medium-fine grind.  

• For the filling: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and let sizzle until they darken slightly.  Add the peanuts if using and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the chili and ginger and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute.

• Add the potatoes, peas, roasted spice blend and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook until the peas soften and the mixture is well mixed. Add the chadon beni if using. Add salt to taste and red chili powder for spice.  

• To assemble and fry the samosas: Pour enough oil into a large a wide heavy bottomed pot. Place over medium heat and heat until temperature reaches 340 F. 

• While the oil is heating, divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. For smaller samosas, you can divide the dough into 8 balls. Cover all but 1 ball with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Flatten the uncovered ball into an oval patty. Lightly brush with oil and roll the patty into a thin oval. Cut in half widthwise into 2 semicircles.  

• Set a small bowl of water beside you. Working with one semicircle at a time, fold over one end of the straight edge halfway toward the rounded edge. Using a fingertip, lightly wet the outside edge with a little water as well as the inner edge of the other half of the straight side. Then fold the other half up and overlapping the wet sides form a cone. Press the edges together to form a seal. Hold the cone in one hand, pinch the seam again to make sure it’s sealed and fill it with 2 tablespoons of the potato filling. Make a little pleat opposite of the sealed edge by pinching it over about 1/4 inch. This will help the samosa to stand. Wet the inside of the rounded edge and fold it over the filling to enclose it. Press the edges together to seal. Repeat with a second dough ball and some of the filling to make 4 samosas.  

• Once oil temperature is 340 degrees F.  Place in the 4 samosas and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 10 minutes. If the samosas haven’t browned by then, increase the temperature to 360 degrees F and cook, turning over as needed, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined dish to drain. 

• While the samosas are frying, shape and fill 4 more samosas, then repeat until all the samosas are shaped, filled and fried. Serve immediately with Tamarind–Date Chutney. 

Tamarind-Date Chutney:

• Stir together the seedless tamarind, date paste, cumin powder, red chili powder, ginger powder, fennel powder, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium low so the sauce is simmering. Cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain. Allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight glass jar and refrigerate.