Ugandan Samosas (Sambusa)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Samosa pastry sheets or spring roll wrappers — 16
- Ground beef — 300 g (10 1/2 oz)
- Onion, finely chopped — 1
- Frozen peas — 100 g (2/3 cup)
- Curry powder — 1 tsp
- Vegetable oil, plus extra for frying — 2 tbsp
- Fine salt and black pepper — to taste
- All-purpose flour and water, for sealing paste — 2 tbsp
Method
- Heat the 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan and cook the onion for 4-5 minutes until soft.
- Add the ground beef and cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking it up, until well browned.
- Stir in the peas and curry powder, season with salt and pepper, and cook for a further 3 minutes. Cool completely.
- Mix the flour with a little water to form a thick sealing paste.
- Cut the pastry sheets into strips if needed, and fold each strip into a cone shape.
- Fill each cone with a spoonful of the cooled meat mixture, then fold the pastry over to form a triangle, sealing the final edge with the flour paste.
- Heat oil to 180°C (350°F) in a deep pot and fry the samosas in batches for 3-4 minutes, until golden and crisp.
- Drain on paper towel and serve hot.
Introduction: Samosas, known locally as sambusa, arrived in Uganda with South Asian traders and settlers and have since become a fully embraced Ugandan snack food, sold at every roadside stall alongside rolex and muchomo.
Cultural Background: Samosas, known locally as sambusa, arrived in Uganda with South Asian traders and settlers and have since become a fully embraced Ugandan snack food, sold at every roadside stall alongside rolex and muchomo. The minced meat and pea filling, wrapped in crisp pastry, reflects this long culinary exchange.
Tips: Make sure the filling is completely cool before wrapping, or it will make the pastry soggy. Seal the final edge firmly with the flour paste so the samosa doesn't open in the hot oil.
Variations: Replace the beef with a mixture of mashed potato, peas and carrot for a vegetarian samosa. Add a pinch of chili powder to the filling for extra heat. See variation above using a mashed potato, pea and carrot filling in place of meat. Fully vegan when made with the vegetable filling and a vegan pastry, which most commercial samosa wrappers are.
Storage: Refrigerate cooked samosas in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freeze uncooked for up to 1 month.
Reheating: Reheat in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 8-10 minutes to keep the pastry crisp; avoid microwaving.
FAQs:
Q: Can samosas be baked instead of fried?
A: Yes, brush with oil and bake at 200°C (400°F) for about 20 minutes, turning once, for a lighter result with a less crisp finish.
Q: What is the vegetarian filling option?
A: A mixture of mashed potato, peas, carrot and curry powder makes a popular and authentic vegetarian filling.
- Samosa pastry sheets or spring roll wrappers — 16
- Ground beef — 300 g (10 1/2 oz)
- Onion, finely chopped — 1
- Frozen peas — 100 g (2/3 cup)
- Curry powder — 1 tsp
- Vegetable oil, plus extra for frying — 2 tbsp
- Fine salt and black pepper — to taste
- All-purpose flour and water, for sealing paste — 2 tbsp
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