"How to Make Samosa with Mint Chutney and Masala Chai" by Rumjeet P

     Growing up in an Indian household means lots of spices and peppers. If you can't cook with spices, then your not an Indian. Since I was young, my mom has taught me how to cook different dishes. Samosa is a wonderful appetizer to start with for people who are just learning how to cook Indian food. Samosa is a fried snack than is most commonly eaten in India with chutney and chai.  Now, it is eaten globally by people who love the taste of spices. They are mostly eaten during festivals and as an evening snack. Though this recipe has measurements, I was never really taught off of measurements. 

                                                         (Photo taken by kspoddar) 

Ingredients:
Serving-4
12 uncooked tortillas
(If you don't have Tortillaland Tortillas, please stop reading and run to a grocery store to pick them up)
4 large potatoes
1 Tablespoon minced ginger ( Peel before mincing)
10 Thai chiles (Add more of less for desired taste)
1 red onion
2 cups of Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1⁄4 cup of frozen peas
1 Tablespoon of salt
1⁄3 cup of water ( used for tortillas)
1 tablespoon of cumin seeds (Jeera)
2 tablespoons of Garam Masala (mixed spices)
1 bunch of cilantro

!Make sure to wash your hands before starting this process!
Step 1- Boil four potatoes in a pot (boil until cooked).
Step 2- Chop one red onion, green chiles, and ginger and add to a pan with cumin seeds and olive oil. Step 3- Saute until translucent
Step 4- Add Garam Masala, salt, and frozen peas. Mix well.

Step 5- Let the filling cool down for 10-15 minutes and move on to the potatoes. Step 6- Mash the potatoes and mix with the room temperature filling.
Step 7- Grab a clean flat surface, knife, spoon, fork, and tortillas.
Step 8- Cut the tortillas in half and break apart.
Step 9- Put your finger in water and apply to the edges as you close the half tortilla into a cone
Step 10- Fill the cones half way with a spoon (DO NOT OVERFILL, THEY WILL EXPLODE)
Step 11-Apply pressure with a fork dipped in water to close the tortilla
Step 12- in a separate pan and the vegetable oil and add the samosa, cook until crispy, golden brown

Mint Chutney Ingredients:
1 bunch of Mint leaves
1 bunch of cilantro
5-10 Thai chiles
1 tablespoon of ginger
2 teaspoons of salt
1 lime
1 tablespoon of cumin seeds (Jeera) 2 teaspoons of Garam Masala 

                                                   (Photo Credits: Rumjeet)

Step 1-Peel the mint off of the stems and wash in warm water
Step 2- Add mint to the blender
Step 3- Wash chiles and peel ginger, add to the blender Step 4- Add cilantro and blend for 30 seconds
Step 5- Add salt, Garam masala, and Jeera into the blender
Step 6- Add half of lime juice from lime (Adjust to your taste) Step 7- Blend all together
Step 8- put into fridge
Step 9- Serve cold with samosa
Step 10- Enjoy! With chai (Recipe below) 

Masala Chai 

Chai is a more of a ritual than a necessity in life for Indians. Many North Indian families drink chai 3 to 4 times a day and include cookies or Samosa as a snack. Perfect time to gossip with a nice cup of chai!) 

 

Ingredients:
Fresh ginger
4-5 Black and green cardamoms 1 teaspoon or 2 sticks of cinnamon 2-3 cloves
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoon of loose black tea
1 tablespoon Sugar
2 cups Water

Step 1- Boil water in a pot, and add thinly sliced ginger.

Step 2-Add fennel seeds,

cloves and cinnamon sticks or powder to the boiling water

Crush black and green cardamoms in a mortar and pestle and/or grinder, and add to boiling water

Step 4-Let  the water boil until it is reduced in appearance.

Step 5-add loose black tea into the water and boiled for a minute or two Step 6-Add milk and sugar
Step 7-Let it boil until it begins to come up
Step 8-Use a strainer over a cup to strain the spices out of the chai
Step 9 -Drink with some cookies or with samosa and chutney (recipe above)

Step 10- Enjoy the different spices included in these recipes!!

Hope to hear back some great comments on how you thought of the recipes. Something different full of spices and lots of chiles that give you a flavorful memory on this original recipe. Hope you enjoy!!!