Samosas with date and tamarind chutney

Ingredients:

Dough

• 2 cups (240 g) premium flour
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 tsp. ajgon or nigella seeds
• 1/4 cup (50 g) ghee or vegetable oil

Spice mix

• 1.5 tsp coriander seeds
• 0.5 tsp cumin seeds
• 0.5 tsp fennel seeds
• 4 black peppercorns
• 1 clove
• 1 cardamom pod
• 1 piece of cinnamon, 1 cm long.
• 2.5 tsp amchur powder (raw mango powder) + more as needed
• 0.5 tsp ground red pepper + more if needed
• A pinch of turmeric

Filling

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil + extra for deep frying
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup blanched peanuts, optional
• 1–2 Thai green chilies or 1 serrano pepper, finely chopped
• 2.5 cm ginger root, finely chopped (1 tbsp)
• 340 g yellow potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed by hand (2 cups mashed potatoes)
• 0.5 cups frozen green peas, rinsed and dried
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
• Date and tamarind chutney, for serving

Date and Tamarind Chutney

• 1/4 tbsp. tamarind seedless
• 1/4 cup date paste
• 1/4 cup caster sugar (jaggery, turbinado, or light brown sugar), plus more as needed
• 1/4 tsp toasted ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground fennel
• 1/4 tsp black salt
• Special equipment: deep fat thermometer

Preparation:

1. Dough:
   
   In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and ajwain seeds (see note). Add the ghee or vegetable oil and mix with your fingers until a crumbly dough forms. Start by adding 3 tablespoons of cold water, then gradually add more water until a stiff dough forms. Try to knead the dough as little as possible to ensure it remains crumbly. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
   
   Note:
   Ajwain seeds are traditionally used in Punjabi samosas. They have a strong flavor that takes a little getting used to. In Bengal, nigella seeds are used instead of ajwain, and I prefer them.
2. Spice mix:
   
   To toast the spices, heat a small cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat. Add all the spices: coriander seeds, cumin, fennel seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. Toast, shaking the pan frequently, until the mixture darkens slightly and becomes fragrant, 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. Add ground amchur, ground red pepper, and turmeric. Once the spice mixture has cooled, transfer to a spice grinder or mortar and grind to a medium-fine grind.
3. Filling:
   
   Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook until lightly browned, about 30 seconds. Add the peanuts, if using, and cook until crisp, about 2 minutes. Add the chili and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until the ginger's aroma fades, about 1 minute.
4. Add the potatoes, peas, toasted spice mix (see note), and 1.5 teaspoons of salt and cook until the peas are tender, about 3 minutes. Add the cilantro, if using. Add salt, amchur, and ground red pepper to taste.
   
   Note:
   You can replace the spice mixture with 1 tablespoon of curry powder and 2 teaspoons of amchur powder. When preparing the filling, add the peas and curry powder to the pan and fry for about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, amchur, and salt and cook until well combined and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the cilantro, then continue cooking as directed.
5. Pour 8 cm of oil into a large cauldron or wide, thick-bottomed saucepan. Place over medium heat and heat to 170°C.
   
   

   Chef's Note

   
   Samosas are tastier and fluffier if you use ghee. Peanuts add a nice crunch. Again, peanuts are very common in Bengali samosas, and I highly recommend adding them.
6. Assembly:
   
   While the oil is heating, divide the dough into 6 equal parts and roll each part into a ball (it's best to use a kitchen scale). For smaller samosas, you can divide the dough into 8 balls. Cover all but one ball with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Flatten one ball of dough into an oval. Lightly grease it and roll it out into a thin oval (20-22 cm long and 12-15 cm wide). Cut in half widthwise to create 2 semicircles.
7. Place a small bowl of water next to you. Working with one semicircle at a time, fold one end of the straight edge halfway over toward the rounded edge. Using your fingertip, lightly moisten the outer edge with a little water, then moisten the inner edge of half of the straight side. Fold the other half over and overlap the wet sides by about 0.5 cm to form a cone. Press the edges together to seal the seam. Hold the cone in one hand, pinch the seam again to ensure it doesn't come apart, and fill it with 2 tablespoons of the potato filling. Make a small fold opposite the seam, pinching it by about 0.5 cm. This is the base of the samosa, where it will stand. Moisten the inside of the rounded edge and fold the filling over it. Press the edges together to seal. Repeat with the second ball of dough and some of the filling to make 4 samosas.
8. Once again, check that the oil temperature is 170°C (350°F) (it's important not to let the oil get too hot; if it's too hot, the samosas will brown on the outside but not be hot on the inside). Carefully place 4 samosas in the oil and fry until golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. If the samosas aren't golden brown by then, increase the temperature to 175°C (350°F) and fry, turning as needed, until golden brown. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the samosas to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain any excess oil.
9. While the first batch is frying, form and fill 4 more samosas. Serve the fried samosas with date-tamarind chutney.

10. Date and Tamarind Chutney

    
    Traditionally, this chutney is made with unrefined jaggery. If you only have jaggery in chunks, grind it. It's important to use moist, seedless tamarind pulp for this chutney, not tamarind paste. The pulp usually contains seeds and skin, so it's best to strain it..
    
    Combine seedless tamarind, date paste, jaggery, ground cumin, ground red pepper, ground ginger, ground fennel, black salt, and 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt in a small saucepan with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens (it should leave a line when you remove a spoon from the sauce and run your finger across it), about 15 minutes. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. Remove from heat and strain. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer the chutney to a glass jar, seal tightly, and refrigerate.