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Hyderabadi keema samosa
قیمہ سموسہ: thin-pastry samosas filled with spiced minced mutton, a Ramadan iftar favourite
Through Ramadan, the streets around Charminar fill with iftar stalls, and the small, papery keema samosas are among the first things to sell out before the sunset call to prayer. The filling is minced mutton cooked dry with onion, ginger-garlic, green chilli, mint and garam masala, folded into thin strips of samosa pastry and fried until they shatter. Families make them in batches and freeze them for the whole month. The common mistake is a wet filling, which makes the pastry soggy and can burst; cook the mince until every bit of liquid has gone. Chef's tip: cook the mince fully to at least 71 °C before filling, because the quick fry only crisps the pastry; it will not cook raw meat through.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the filling
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 14 oz minced mutton (keema)
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh mintchopped
- 3 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the pastry
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 2 tbsp water
For frying
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a wide pan over medium heat and fry 2 onions 6–8 minutes until golden. Add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste and fry 1 minute.
9 minStep 2: Add 14 oz minced mutton (keema) and cook on high, breaking it up, for 8 minutes until no pink remains.
8 minStep 3: Add ¼ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp salt and cook 8–10 minutes more, stirring, until completely dry and the oil separates. Check the mince reaches at least 160°F.
10 minStep 4: Stir in 3 green chillies, 3 tbsp fresh mint, 3 tbsp fresh coriander and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Spread on a tray and cool completely in the fridge.
20 minStep 5: Mix 2 tbsp plain flour and 2 tbsp water into a thick glue. Fold each 30 samosa pastry strips (patti) strip into a cone, fill with a spoonful of keema, fold into a triangle and seal well.
25 minStep 6: 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 7: Fry 6 at a time for 3–4 minutes, turning, until crisp and deep golden. Drain on paper and serve hot with mint chutney and lemon.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hyderabadi keema samosa take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
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