Baked dry samosa is such a delicious treat with a cup of coffee. Make them like these pretty flowers or like a traditional samosa, it’s delicious every way. Happy Spring!
Happy Spring!
To me festivals are a time to step away from the mundane life, to join your loved ones to celebrate, to look at the bright side of life filled with positivity. Friends, family and Fun. And of course food.
This year like last is no different, still being careful and distancing. But, there’ll be food baskets delivered:-). It’s been an entire year since all of our lives changed forever and through these times staying positive has been something we all have struggling with. Festivals have a new outlook: to me it’s always been about the deeper meaning, now more than ever. Yes, it connects us to our roots, culture and values, but also sharing the joy with the less fortunate is important too. Enjoying, relishing in the beauty, gloriousness of the moment that we are in and being thankful.
I’ve spent days in a dark space in my mind. Then again, I also have been holding space for the things that keep me positive and bring me pure joy. A few daily rituals I follow and plan to continue:
- Staying fully present – trying to stay off of social media and my phone for few hours a day
- Gratitude journaling – practicing this first thing in the morning has changed my outlook for the rest of the day. It can be as easy as writing down 3 things that you’re grateful for and the beginning/end of each day.
- Spending time in nature – pause and go for a walk, or sit and stare into the trees, watch the sunrise/sunset. These moments are truly so grounding.
- Staying active – It doesn’t have to be a full blown workout, just 20 minutes is good to release some endorphins always shifts my energy.
- Doing nothing – take some time to daydream, about nothing and everything, it’s like meditation. Being bored can be helpful.
- Interacting with positive people – chatting with people who fill my cup up with inspiration, positivity and someone who makes you feel loved, you need to keep them close.
- Giving back – it can be as simple as making a sandwich for someone in need, or donate a small something to your favorite organization.
To a colorful outlook on life. Let’s all see the positive side to life and make our lives and others as colorful as can be.
Happy Holi! A festival that ushers spring and joyousness.
I am a big fan of the sweet and spicy dry samosa. My college friend would get it for me from Rajasthan and that’s when I was introduced to it. This spicy dry samosa recipe is as close to what I had then, but healthier. It’s the baked version and I feel less guilty even if I’ve had a few. This baked dry samosa is quite simple to make, just takes time, more hands off time. I also love adding it to chole chaat or green peas chaat. So Good!
TRICKS TO MAKE THE DOUGH for THE Dry Spiced Samosa
- To succeed with some homemade dry samosa, the secret is usually in the dough ! I love it when I have time to leave it done (that’s a moment) and put it in the fridge for the night or the next day when I want to prepare them.
- The recipe for the traditional dough for samos is mainly a combination of a quantity of liquid (which can be water, dalda, oil or butter), that same weight of fat (butter, oil or lard) and the corresponding quantity of flour. to fit in with the other ingredients.
- But you can try and use what you like the most, I only put 1/3 cup of oil and it works perfectly well.
- This dough always requires a resting time and since it has oil, I like to wrap it in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for an hour at least. You can also do it the day before. But I do not advise freezing them because the result afterwards is not good.
- Do not over knead, simply enough to integrate all the ingredients and form a smooth and compact ball.
Stuffing for the Baked Dry Samosa
For the stuffing I used dried coconut, a bunch of spice powders and sev. The sweet and spicy mixture is very authentic and everyone’s recipe has more or less of the same blend.
Adding tamarind chutney to the wrap will ensure the dry samosa stays fresh longer.
Stuff it liberally, since we are baking this, the odds of this breaking is close to none.
Shaping the dry spiced samosa
This is the part you can get creative. You can use molds, or make like a traditional samosa, or in the shape of a gujjia. If you don’t have this press, you can make a ball, press it with a flat glass and pinch out designs using a tong or a fork. The world is you pickle. Go crazy!!
Baked Dry Samosa
Slow is key to get a dry samosa. Bake it at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or even air fry it at 320 for 30 minutes. Keep an eye so it doesn’t burn or get too dark. You want it dry and lightly brown.
If you make this baked dry samosa/samosa, make sure to rate and tag me on social media at #foodfashionparty.
Thanks for stopping by!
Ash
- 2 cups (350g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup oil
- Pinch of salt
- ⅓ tsp ajwain
- ½ cup ice cold water plus 2 tbsp if needed
- ½ cup sev
- ½ cup dried coconut
- Pinch of hing
- ⅓ cup jaggery
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp chaat masala
- ½ tsp toasted fennel seeds powder
- 3 tsp white sesame seeds
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp oil
- 2 tbsp tamarind chutney
- melted butter to brush the tops
- Put ice 4 or 5 ice cubes in a measuring cup and fill with cold water to about ½ cup.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, salt, ajwain. Add oil and crumble and combine the flour and oil for a crumbly texture. Add the water, little by little. Mix well.Check the dough. Even though it's crumbly and dry, if you take some and squeeze it with your hand, it should come together. If it doesn't come together add a few more Tbs water.
- Transfer dough to a barely floured surface and gather it together into a ball. Don't over work it or the dough will be tough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour or up to 3 days.
- In a pan, add oil. Add the hing, dried coconut and saute for couple of minutes. Add the red chili powder, cumin powder, garam masala, chaat masala, fennel seeds powder, white sesame seeds and toast it for about 5 minutes on low temperature. Take it out in a blender and pulse along with jaggery, peanuts, salt and sev. It should have a crumble texture, more powderey. Set aside.
- Take out the pastry dough.
- When you're ready to use it, roll it on a lightly floured surface, starting from the middle and roll out to a thin sheet.
- Carefully cut out 3 inch circles. Take one circle, spread ⅓ tsp of the tamarind chutney and place a tablespoon of the stuffing. Fold the ends, wrap like a samosa, a half moon gujiya or like the moon cake like I've made, or make it into a ball and press with a glass which has a design in the bottom. And place in the greased baking pan, freeze for half an hour before baking, to get the perfect crunchy samosa.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF /180ºC
- Bake the samosas for 40 minutes or until it's dry and starting to color.
You can make any design you prefer, it holds up well.
This stays fresh at room temp in an airtight container for about 10 days.
