Samosa - The Subcontinent’s Favorite Savory Snack

A gift from Central Asia to the subcontinent, this savory snack was first called the samsa after the pyramids in Central Asia, after which derivatives of the Persian word sanbosag, such as sanbusak/sanbusaq/sanbusaj were used. These triangular treats were also enjoyed by the Mughals and filled with delicious meat and vegetables, with flavors enhanced by the addition of spices, herbs and dry fruit.  

The current day samosa holds true to its ancestors. It is a snack which is easy to prepare in advance and efficiently store away, and then to deep fry and eat it. The fillings in the delicate pastry sheet, known as the samosa patti, can be altered according to personal choice, and can hold a seemingly endless variety of savory mixtures.  

A flour-based dough is rolled out into pastry sheets, then cut and wrapped securely in a triangular shape, sealed with a dab of water along the edges and corners.

Mashed potatoes with added spices and vegetables make up the filling for these samosas.

These samosas are much bigger in size than the meat and chicken varieties.

The meat filled samosas are smaller in size and filled with a mixture of chicken or minced mutton.

Deep fried to crispy perfection.

Green chutney (made from cilantro and green chilies) is a favorite dipping sauce for the cooked samosas.

While some households make and freeze their own samosas, most Pakistanis prefer purchasing samosas available in markets close to their homes, or those that are popular according to the locality.