to a fine purée, adding a little reserved water as necessary. Set aside.
Heat half the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the onion and seasoning. Sweat over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 4–6 minutes until the onion is soft. Add the turmeric, garam masala, cayenne pepper or chilli powder, ground coriander and asafoetida, if using. Fry for a few minutes until the spices are fragrant. Add the remaining oil and the potato and stir. Add a splash of water and cover the pan. Steam for 8–10 minutes over a low-to-medium heat, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are soft. Tip in the puréed beans and chopped coriander. Lightly mash together using a potato masher. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the mixture is too wet, add a little flour to get a fairly stiff dough. Leave to cool.
Shape the mixture into small fishcake-like patties and dust with a little flour. Heat a thin layer of oil in a wide frying pan until hot. In batches, fry the patties for 4–5 minutes until golden brown all over. Drain on kitchen paper and serve warm with a sweet-and-sour chutney.
Lamb, cumin and mint samosas
MAKES 12–14 PASTRY
225g plain or gram flour
11/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp black onion seeds, toasted
1 tbsp vegetable oil (or melted unsalted butter), plus extra to brush
5-6 tbsp warm water
FILLING
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2.5cm ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tsp mild curry powder
4/4 tsp hot chilli powder
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp ground cumin
500g minced lamb
sea salt and ground pepper to taste
100g peas, thawed if frozen
1 tsp dried mango powder (or 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice)
1 mild green chilli, deseeded and finely diced
handful of mint leaves, chopped
These samosas are equally delicious deep-fried, which encourages their pastry casing to puff up and blister slightly. However, I have baked these in the oven as an alternative (and healthier) way of cooking them.
To make the pastry, combine the flour, salt and black onion seeds in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the oil and 5 tablespoons of warm water. Mix with a butter knife to form a dough, adding more water if the mixture seems too dry. Tip onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5–10 minutes to a smooth dough. Cover with cling film and leave to rest in a cool place for 30 minutes.
To prepare the filling, heat the oil in a karahi or a wide pan over a medium-to-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, curry and chilli powders and ground spices. Fry for a few minutes until the onion begins to soften and the spices are fragrant. Add the lamb mince and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 4–5 minutes until the mince is golden brown. Add the peas and dried mango powder or lemon juice and cook for a further minute before stirring in the chopped chilli and mint. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then transfer to a wide bowl and leave to cool.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 7. Divide the pastry into 6–7 equal pieces. Make each piece into a ball then roll out to a circle of about 15cm. Cut each circle into 2 equal halves. Working with one at a time, brush the cut edge of the semi-circle with a little water and form a cone shape, sealing the edge. Fill each cone with the filling up to 1cm from the top. Brush the pastry edges with water and press together to seal the cone. Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and repeat to make the remaining samosas. (You could also form them into teardrop shapes to make a change from the typical triangular ones.)
Brush all over each samosa with a little oil or melted butter and arrange on a lightly oiled baking tray. Bake the samosas for 14–16 minutes until golden brown and the pastry is crisp. Remove from the oven, cool for a few minutes and serve while still hot.
Mixed vegetable samosas
MAKES 12–14 PASTRY
225g plain or gram flour, plus extra to dust
11/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for deep-frying
5-6 tbsp warm water
FILLING
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 large waxy potato, about 250–300g, peeled
1 medium carrot, peeled
1 large garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
250g mixed mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
75g peas, thawed if frozen
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp mild chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
pinch of caster sugar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
handful of coriander, finely chopped
Samosas come in a variety of shapes and sizes and have different names (such as shingara in Bengali), depending on the region or state from which they come. Some that I tried in India resembled rough, misshapened cones rather than the triangular pasties to which we are accustomed in Britain. Vegetarian samosas tend to be the most popular for light snacking, filled with any selection of vegetables and spices. If you are short of time, make these samosas using store-bought filo pastry, which will produce a lighter crust. For a golden and crisp finish, bake these with generous brushings of melted butter.
To make the pastry, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the oil and 6 tablespoons of warm water. Mix with a butter knife to form a dough, adding more water if the mixture seems too dry. Tip on to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5–10 minutes to a smooth dough. Cover with cling film and leave to rest in a cool place for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat the oil over a medium heat in a karahi or a wide pan. Sauté the onions for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently until they soften. Cut the potato and carrot into 1cm dice, tip into the pan and fry for another 4 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, except the fresh coriander, and season well. Stir-fry for a few minutes until the vegetables are tender and the spices no longer taste raw. Mix in the chopped coriander, transfer to a wide bowl and leave to cool completely.
Divide the pastry into 6–7 equal pieces. Make each piece into a ball then roll out to a circle of about 15cm. Cut each circle into two equal halves. Working with one at a time, brush the cut edge of the semi-circle with a little water and form a cone shape, sealing the edge. Fill each cone with the filling up to 1cm from the top. Brush the pastry edges with water and press together to seal the cone. Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and repeat to make the remaining samosas.
Preheat the oven to its lowest setting and heat 6cm of oil in a deep saucepan (or a deep-fryer) to 170°C. Deep-fry the samosas in batches for 4–6 minutes, turning them over halfway, until they are golden brown and crisp. Drain on a baking tray lined with kitchen paper and keep warm in the oven while you fry the rest. Serve warm.