Topic: Curryhell's Samosa recipe

[curryhell]

Well, I gave it a go and I was impressed! My first time  making samosas and they were edible, even moreish!

What no pics !!! 

The dough I got was a bit on the wet side, but thats down to the measures I think.

Who's, your measures or mine?  ;D

Curryhell, you give dessertspoon measures - how many ml is this, please? I actually used my dessert spoons and I think that was my problem.

May I presume that you are meaning 10ml, being as a tsp = 5ml, a tablespoon = 15ml, then a dessertspoon = 10ml?

100% correct.  Not possessing a normal tbs i always use a dssrt spoon. I rarely get my measuring spoons out, only when i really have to  :
Glad you're having success Pete and want to nail it.  The satisfaction is second to none when you're tucking into those lovely tasty triangles  ;D

[curryhell]

I love the end result of these samosas and have got the technique a bit more nailed but it still took me over 2 hours to make, even using pre-made filling. If there's a way to streamline the process and speed them up, I'm all ears.

Sounds as though you're hooked Chris  ;D ;D  There's just no substitute for the real thing once you can make it  :
I'm still trying to work out how you manage to make 750 gms of spud + peas do three recipes of samosas    Maybe i'm just over generous with the filling 
As for the streamlining of the process, i'm all ears too.  The only way i can make the process less painful is to split it up into nice "bite size" pieces, dough and cases, filling , then assembly and frying.  Timewise, it's the same, but little and often does seem to be a lot easier.  And now you've provided me with the freezing option, better still.  Glad you're enjoying these Natterjak.  There just really isn't any substitute, is there? 

[natterjak]

Not sure either. I added a bit of carrot but not much. Each samosa is stuffed with as much as I dare while still being able to close it.

Re streamlining it seems to me most of the time is in the rolling out of pastry, because you can't rush it otherwise the damn stuff sticks to the rolling pin. Maybe using a pasta roller would speed through creating thin strips of pastry from which the circles could be cut?

[Waterdiddy]

Hi Curryhell...

Yeah, I'm guessing my measures were way off yours, cos my dessert spoons are probably not the same size as yours etc.

I shall redo with the measures we discussed.

I'll pop some pics in later today and edit this post, lol

As for time saving...

Perhaps a 'holder' for the cones when made, so another helper can fill them? that or the holder would aid us using both hands until we get a bit more familiar with the muscle memory needed to do this easily? I was thinking something like a few cheap funnels from the 99p stores? pop em into a board in drilled holes to accommodate their spouts and voila - samosa holders  ;D

Anyway... I'll put more grey matter to work on it and find something to help and I'll get some pics up too!

Thanks for the replies Curryhell - very useful info as always.

Bests,

Pete

[natterjak]

Hi WD,

I also had the idea of using a funnel to support the pastry case while filling it and tried this yesterday - didn't work! The pastry doesn't have enough strength to support itself within thr funnel, so the edges just collapsed inwards. I reverted to holding the pastry in one hand and filling with the other. In fact I don't find the stuffing process to be the most time consuming, it's the rolling out which gets me.

[Waterdiddy]

Gotcha, Natterjack - ok... mebbe a puri press would do it for ya then?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cellco-Puri-Press/dp/B002J9EOJ8

Can get em for 14-16 quid on amazon. I'm all for labour-saving devices if they do as they say on the tin...

Bests

Pete

[Naga]

This thread by Mick Crawford might help solve pastry problems. Pretty ingenious idea!

[curryhell]

That's an idea WD.  Similar to what was suggested by Dalpuri:

I've also used a similar method when making parathas.
Instead of rolling out with flour and a pin, ive pressed the balls of dough in my electric chapati maker for 10-20 seconds. They blister slightly and a waxy type of skin is formed. These can be stacked up together without the need for dividers for frying later.

Interesting idea of the pasta roller Natterjak.  May have potential but i don't have one to give it a try 
As for the funnels,  I can see the logic behind it.  You'd have to be careful not to overfill though, and then you've still got to get the little bugger out and close it up.  What happens if it decides to stick itself to the funnel    ;D
Or we could nip down the local general store and clear their food cabinet of their home made samosas - if you're lucky enough to have a store that makes them  ;D  I'm lucky, I do and they're real tasty.
But then again, just think of all the fun you'd be missing out on and that special moment when all your efforts come together to produce that perfect little triangular snack  I now am feeling the need to mix up some dough and knock out the cases today and possibly boil up the spuds  : :

[Waterdiddy]

Or we could nip down the local general store and clear their food cabinet of their home made samosas - if you're lucky enough to have a store that makes them  ;D  I'm lucky, I do and they're real tasty.
But then again, just think of all the fun you'd be missing out on and that special moment when all your efforts come together to produce that perfect little triangular snack  I now am feeling the need to mix up some dough and knock out the cases today and possibly boil up the spuds  : :

Youre quite right ya know - and I too am feeling the need as it happens  ;D Do excuse me for a few minutes LOL

Pete

[natterjak]

This thread by Mick Crawford might help solve pastry problems. Pretty ingenious idea!

Interesting naga, very industrious of Mick to make his own. It inspired me to go searching and I found these:

Samosa Moulds (2pcs)
http://amazon.co.uk/dp/B006320072

Not sure how effective they are and there's no size detailed, which makes it hard to know if they're worth trying. Still leaves me wondering how to speed through the pastry rolling stage though. I like the idea of a big tortilla or puri press though.