Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Pastry Dough
- 250 g plain flour
- 45 ml vegetable oil
- 100 ml water, room temperature
- 3 g salt
- 2 g carom seeds
Spinach & Cheese Filling
- 200 g fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
- 100 g low-moisture mozzarella cheese, grated
- 100 g paneer, crumbled
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic, minced
- 5 g fresh ginger, minced
- 1 green chilli, finely minced
- 2 g garam masala
- 2 g salt
- 15 ml vegetable oil
Frying
- 500 ml vegetable oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 181 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 19 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 233 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 5 mg
- Potassium
- 159 mg
- Calcium
- 126 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 24 mg
- Phosphorus
- 110 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 115 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 6 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 81 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 42 mcg
- Water
- 38 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a mixing bowl, rub the 45ml of vegetable oil into the plain flour, salt, and carom seeds until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Gradually add water and knead into a firm, stiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Heat 15ml of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, ginger, garlic, and green chilli. Saute for 3-4 minutes until the onions soften and become translucent.
Add the chopped spinach to the skillet along with the garam masala and salt. Cook for 5 minutes until the spinach is completely wilted and all excess moisture has evaporated. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool completely.
Once the spinach mixture is cool to the touch, mix in the grated mozzarella and crumbled paneer. Stir until evenly distributed.
Divide the rested dough into 6 equal portions and roll them into smooth balls. On an un-floured surface, roll each ball into a thin oval shape about 15cm long. Cut each oval in half horizontally to create 12 semi-circles.
Take one semi-circle, wet the straight edge with a little water, and fold it into a cone shape, overlapping the wet edges to seal firmly. Fill the cone with 2 tablespoons of the spinach and cheese mixture. Wet the open edges, pinch them together, and crimp or fold to seal completely.
Pour the frying oil into a heavy-bottomed pot and heat it to 160C/320F over medium-low heat.
Gently drop 3-4 samosas into the oil. Fry slowly for 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pastry is uniformly golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining samosas.
Chef's Notes
- Temperature control is paramount for samosas. If the oil is too hot, the outside will brown before the inside layers of pastry can cook through, leaving a doughy interior.
- Substituting half the paneer with feta adds a brilliant salty tang that pairs beautifully with the earthy spinach.
- For an extra layer of flavor, toast your spices lightly in the hot oil before adding the aromatics during the filling preparation.
- Do not skip resting the dough; this allows the gluten strands to relax, making it significantly easier to roll out without shrinking back.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container lined with paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze un-fried samosas on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag. Fry directly from frozen, adding an extra 3-4 minutes to the fry time.
Reheating: Bake in a preheated oven at 180C/350F for 8-10 minutes until heated through and crispy.
Troubleshooting
Pastry shell develops large bubbles and blisters while frying
Cause: The frying oil was too hot, or the dough was too soft.
Fix: Cannot be fixed for the current batch, but lower the heat for subsequent batches.
Prevention: Ensure the dough is stiff and maintain an oil temperature around 160C/320F. Fry on medium-low heat.
Samosa bursts open in the oil
Cause: Edges were not sealed properly or the samosa was overfilled.
Fix: Remove the broken samosa immediately to prevent the cheese and filling from spoiling the frying oil.
Prevention: Use a dab of water along the seam and pinch firmly to lock the edges. Do not overstuff the cones.
Filling is soggy and seeps through the pastry
Cause: Spinach was not cooked down enough, leaving too much moisture.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once assembled.
Prevention: Cook the spinach mixture until the pan is completely dry before cooling.
Cultural Context
Samosas trace their origins to the Middle East and Central Asia, known historically as 'sanbusak' before traveling along trade routes to the Indian subcontinent. While traditional Indian samosas feature heavily spiced potato and pea or minced meat fillings, this spinach and cheese variation reflects modern Indo-Western fusion, drawing inspiration from both saag paneer and savory Mediterranean pastries.
