S amosa is a pastry triangle stuffed with whatever the mind can conceive. As such it is one of the most versatile appetisers in the world. I kmow, it's always or mostly just potatoes and peas. True. But it doesn't have to be. You can make whatever stuffing you like. Here are some intersting examples.

Gaggan Anand We’d moved on to the hot starters by then and the first portion was a Keema Samosa shaped like a candy wrapper, deep fried and served with mint chutney. Except that this chutney wasn’t what you’d expect. The flavours of the chutney had been reduced to powder and gently sprinkled on top of the samosa. When you bit into it, the powder miraculously reconstituted itself into the chutney we all know and recognise.

FNow I know you're not going to compete with Gaggan, but you can be creative. Here in the U.S. of A., we have access to and traditions for such a wide variety of protein and vegetables and herbs and spices. You know where this is going.

• Peppers and Cheese
• Coconut and Cashew
• Chicken and Mushroom
• Lamb and Chilis
• Lentils and Ground Beef
• Rice and Beans
• Pork and Basil
• Salmon and Dill
• Cream Cheese and Shrimp
• Steak, Peppers, and Cheese
• Spinach and Mushroom
• Spiced Apples

You get the idea. Use your imagination. Samosas can be stuffed with anything you like.

The Dough

The dough is unique in that you mix the flour with oil or ghee before you add the water. You want to take your time to incorporate the ghee into the flour so that the dough holds together. Let's say 2 cups of flour to 2 oz. ghee or oil. Then ad the water a little at a time, somewhere between 2 and 4 oz. until your dough is right. It is a pastry as far as I'm concerned, so treat it like one. Let it rest, covered, for an hour.
Divide the dough as you wish to make your preferred size. I don't care what shape you make. If you make an oval of 6-8 inches wide in the center and cut it in half, you can make a cone by bringing the sides together, but you can go square or round as well. Fill and pinch. Done. i'm puposley being vague to allow you to try, fail, and try again. You will have to anyway.
Deep fry at 325° or so for long enough to get that beautiful golden brown, usually 12-15 minutes. You will be watching them. Remove to rack, Serve with a side salad.