Vegetable Samosa

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add 4 tablespoons of oil and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs — this step creates the characteristic flaky, crisp texture of samosa pastry. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until the dough just comes together into a firm, smooth ball. It should not be soft or sticky — samosa dough is stiffer than bread dough. Knead for 2 minutes until smooth. Wrap in cling film and rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. Resting relaxes the gluten and makes the dough much easier to roll thinly without it springing back.

Boil the potato cubes in salted water for 10–12 minutes until completely tender, then drain thoroughly and leave to steam-dry for 5 minutes — excess moisture in the filling makes the pastry soggy. Roughly crush the potatoes with a fork, leaving some texture rather than a smooth mash. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and green chilli and fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the ground cumin, coriander, garam masala, and turmeric and stir for 30 seconds until the spices bloom in the oil. Add the crushed potato, frozen peas, amchur or lemon juice, and fresh coriander. Mix well, season generously with salt, and cook for 2 minutes. Taste — the filling should be bold, warmly spiced, and slightly tangy. Leave to cool completely before filling the samosas.

Divide the rested dough into 8 equal balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a thin oval about 20cm long and 10cm wide. Cut each oval in half to give two semicircles. Take one semicircle and fold it into a cone shape, overlapping the straight edge by about 1cm and pressing firmly to seal — use a dab of water to help it stick. Hold the cone in one hand and fill it with 2 tablespoons of the cooled filling, pressing it in gently. Do not overfill — overfilled samosas burst during frying. Pinch the open top edge firmly together to seal, pressing and crimping to ensure no gaps. Place on a tray and repeat with the remaining dough and filling. The sealed edges must be completely airtight or the samosas will open in the hot oil.

Pour enough oil into a deep saucepan to come 8cm up the sides. Heat to 170°C — test with a small piece of dough; it should sizzle steadily and rise to the surface within a few seconds. If the oil is too hot the pastry browns before the inside heats through; too cool and the samosas absorb oil and turn greasy. Fry the samosas in batches of 3–4, turning occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until deeply golden and crisp all over. Do not rush this — a slow, steady fry at 170°C produces the crispest result. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Serve immediately while hot and shatteringly crisp, with mint chutney and tamarind sauce alongside.