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Chennai onion samosa
வெங்காய சமோசா: small, crisp Irani tea-shop samosas filled only with onion, chilli and curry leaves
In Chennai's old tea shops, many started by Irani and Muslim families, a glass of strong tea comes with a plate of small onion samosas: thin, crackly pastry folded around a filling of nothing but slow-cooked onion, green chilli, curry leaves and a little poha to soak up the juices. They are sold by the dozen in the evenings and at bus stands across Tamil Nadu. The pastry is the thin, ready-rolled samosa-patti kind, so they are quick to fold. The common mistake is undercooking the onion, which leaks water and makes the samosas soggy; fry it until soft and sweet, then cool. Chef's tip: seal the folds with a thick paste of flour and water, not plain water, so they do not open in the oil.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the filling
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 15 curry leaveschopped
- 4 onionsthinly sliced
- 3 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh gingerfinely chopped
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
For the pastry
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 2 tbsp water
For frying
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil over medium heat, add ½ tsp mustard seeds and let it pop, then 15 curry leaves.
1 minStep 2: Add 4 onions, 3 green chillies, 1 tbsp fresh ginger and ¾ tsp salt and fry 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft, pale gold and dry with no liquid in the pan.
15 minStep 3: Stir in ½ tsp red chilli powder, 2 tbsp thick poha (flattened rice), crushed and 2 tbsp fresh coriander and cool completely.
15 minStep 4: Mix 2 tbsp plain flour and 2 tbsp water into a thick glue. Fold each 24 samosa pastry strips (patti), about 8 × 25 cm strip into a cone, fill with a spoon of onion, and fold the strip over in triangles, sealing the end with paste.
20 minStep 5: Heat 3 cups sunflower oil for deep-frying in a deep kadhai, no more than a third full, over medium heat. A scrap of pastry should rise in 2–3 seconds (about 350°F). Never leave the oil unattended.
5 minStep 6: Fry 6 at a time for 3–4 minutes, turning, until crisp and golden all over. Drain on paper and serve hot with tea.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chennai onion samosa take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of mustard seeds?
- Cumin seeds, same amount (different flavour, same crackle).
- What can I use instead of curry leaves?
- Leave them out, or add a strip of lime zest (there's no true substitute).
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