It cost just three rupees. Squashed between a doughy naan and seasoned with a splash of green chutney of dubious provenance, the ‘samosa-naan’ was sold for three bucks a pop at my college. With the triple dose of carbs – potatoes, pastry and naan – it was obviously filling. Less obvious is how satisfying the concoction was: the naan’s rubbery dough, the crushed but still crisp samosa shell, the spicy potatoes with little bursts of flavour in the form of anardana (dried pomegranate seeds) and dhaniya (coriander) seeds, the tart chutney. Is talk of textural complexity too pretentious for what is essentially a meal of necessity? I say no.
Now there is a McDonald’s near my college, a reminder that joy and pleasure of the simple and the cheap has been sold to the corner multi-national fast food joint. Perhaps I am being crotchety and college girls will later relish memories of cardboard burgers that taste the same anywhere in the world.
But the samosa is more erratic. Its quality and flavours vary from thela to shop. Some of the best samosas I have had come in unlikely places. Somewhere betwixt Rawalpindi and Islamabad is a little housing society. On the stairs of its little plaza comprising a grand total of five shops are sold one of the most sublime specimens of a samosa I have ever had, the perfect ratio of masala, potato and pastry.
At a wayside motel just short of Jallandhar – the kind where the tables are covered in crumpled colonial-style white linen and twists of napkins in thick glasses – I discovered another variety I had not had before in Pakistan. Our legs were cramped from long hours in the friendship bus and the May heat shimmered on the road. Inside, the airconditioning rattled but it was cool. I picked up a little samosa among the other snacks and discovered, for the first time, the delights of a slightly tangy paneer filling.
I personally prefer the good ol’ aloo samosa, but the variations are endless. So many people have tried to turn the samosa into something more than street food or the ancient Mcsamosa. Sausage and cheddar cheese have become staples at bakeries in Islamabad, doing particularly brisk business in Ramazan (when fasting tends to make people think even more about food than they necessarily would). Whereas mince would be the pricier alternative to potatoes, chicken has become surprisingly commonplace at roadside thelas.
There are other, posher iterations: prawn samosas, crab samosas, Mexican chilli samosas and Thai chicken samosas.
Every Ramazan, a Memon colleague of mine would give me a packet of the familiar golden triangles filled with sweetened coconut instead of a savoury filling. Other sub-cultures in South Asia too have their sweet versions:
Ambitious young chefs are making new creations like chocolate samosas — though it should be noted that kheerer shingara, filled with sweetened thickened milk, have long been known in Bengal, while another variation is labango lotika, sealed with a clove and dipped in syrup.
I even found reference to a haggis samosa. Vegetarian haggis that is, otherwise imagine biting into an innocuous flaky golden pastry and finding a concoction of sheep or calf offal minced with suet, oatmeal, onions and spices which had been boiled in the stomach of the animal. Vegetarian haggis replaces all the gross bits for lentils and pulses. Whew, what a relief. But that would make it a kachori then, wouldn’t it?
Chunky or delicate, stuffed with expensive seafood or vegetables, a samosa is truly an adaptable thing. No surprises then that it has literally traveled across the world in the way that cuisines overlap and cultures commingle. From Burma and Malaysia to the East, through India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, and then on to Eastern Europe, Spain, Ethiopia and even Central and South America, some form of a fried or baked pastry triangle with stuffing can be found.
The kind found in the subcontinent has supposedly come centuries ago from Central Asia. And such ancient cultural luminaries as Amir Khusro and Ibn Battuta have written about it in the twelfth and fourteenth centuries. Curiously, this version of the peripatetic samosa is found – word for word – in several internet encyclopedias. Some of this is corroborated in a detailed article delving deep into the samosa:
The cumin and chili-spiked ground meat filling found in Middle Eastern samosas (first cousin to kofta, the meatballs or cigar-shaped patties) spread into India with the great Persian and Turkish empires. In conquering Persia, Alexander the Great acquired northern India, too; and many of his Greek and Turkish subjects settled in Central Asia, carrying kofta and samosas (and the tanur, or tandoor, oven) into Afghanistan, Nepal, etc. Meat was originally quite common in India; but the climate was less hospitable to beef cattle, and a reliable supply of dairy products became more valuable for protein. Eventually Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism all prohibited meat consumption.
Its more modern travels have taken it to the US and UK where it has made food millionaires of entrepenuerial desis. It has even been served in the White House among other dainty finger food. There have even been attempts by Pakistanis and Indians abroad to make it more respectable by ‘baking’ it, clearly an idea that will hardly be popular here.
Whatever its origins, wherever it is found, the samosa’s pleasures derive from association and guilt. The flavour of a crispy deep-fried pastry – whatever the filling – with a cuppa doodh patti under a grey, monsoon sky. Jab tak rahey ga samosay may aaloo…it’s that simple isn’t it?
Amber Rahim Shamsi is a mother, journalist, and foodie whose experiments in the kitchen haven’t always turned out quite right. But that hasn’t stopped her from trying to the dismay of her family.
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
It costs eight rupees now, sadly inflation has hit samosa’s as well
.
You didn’t mention Pakoras. I think they taste more spicy than Samosas can ever with or without aloos.
good work amber!!
Hi There !!
I love samosa, it is yummy. Very nice mouth watering article
salam really its true the taste of the samosa is reallly great.The taste of the samosa of “theela”a man selling samosa in corners or at the gate of colleges are really great although there are not so hygienic but I U suualyy prefer that samosa on may expensive burgers that really have a garet and unique tase with GREEN CHUTNEY and a cup of doodh pati its our tradition our taste I love these stuffss:)
I have heard of people going completely overboard after having taken a Samosa or Luddoo poisoned with Datura (Thornapple).
thnk you salmaan bhai….
i am a staunch meat/mutton lover. here in india also i have listened a lot about lahori kebab and peshawari chappal kebab, but i have never tried it. i am really longing to get my hands on to it. i have also listened a lot about lahore food street and ‘bundoo khan ke kebab’. i have also never tried the mutton preparation called ‘halim’.i really hope someday i will be able to pay a visit to pakistan and your beautiful city ‘peshawar’ and will be able to try all those dishes mentioned above along with mutton biryani.take care and ‘Eid mubarak’ to all my pakistani buddies.
regards
Rishab
…please pass the pudina chutney. thanks.
Man mouth watering torture this! I am reading this this early morning here in the US with no hope for Somosa’s at this hour.
Wonder when this almost archaic ‘information superhighway’ will evolve into a ‘materialize anything on your desk right now’ technology. I wish I could get a few steaming samosas out of a URL (internet address) instantly.
pekhawer pakhawer da, people in peshawer know how to enjoy food no doubt. Samosay are best in Peshawer.
@ RISHAB…. thank you so much
… am from NWFP… basically Pukhton…. so have a visit to Peshawar… i will show international samosas and ovcource the famous mutton karahai of Namak Mandi and Peshawari Chappal kabab with lassi and green tea afterwards !! You will love them all and you will not forget our hospitality as well
regards
salman
Sweet or crispy and spicy these little things are like folded betel nut “beeda” in gold not silver. I have tasted them stuffed with cooked tender green beans,patato, cocunut raw sugar cashewnut cuts known in the south of India as “genasale” there are infinite varieties.Untrained grand father that I am,if I go to kitchen I try my imaginative fantasies to give surprises. Surprise samosa is one of the items.
Kulamarva Balakrishna
Vienna,18-09-2009
assalaam aaleikum to all my pakistani buddies.oh salman bhai tussi punjabi ho? agar nahi bhi ho taa sare pakistani prawaan naal kadi saade india vich pi dera pao, twanu main world famous aloo-matter ke samosay khilawaanga…..
Regards
After reading the article – ‘mu-nh mey paani aa gayaa!! Kyo-n na do-chaar recipe bhej dei-n.
Waiting hungrilly,
-K
“hello to all my pakistani buddies.i m an indian nd can tell u that samosa india(especially north) mein bhi bahut famous hai.But the writer forgot to mention the perfect combination – aloo ke samosay , dhaniya aur pudina ki chutney(coriander and mint), sonth(imli) ki chutney, masaledar kaale choley along with a strong cup of tea.this combination actually is ideal and very common for a small evening meal in india. what about pakistan?”
loved this comment!!!!
You may not cook good (excuse me, your blurb says that) but you write good. I have linked this on Doodh Patti.
Well it doesn’t make a difference but the way it is called is “jab tak samosay mein aaloo rahay ga” !! the aaloo comes first :_)
MAYBE WE NEED MCSAMOSSAS.
You write very well. Look forward to read more of your work.
After reading this I am craving a samosa badly.
I need somebody to send me some samosas! Quick!
Imad,
Arkansas USA
I have been reading Dawn and The News from past many months. I have come to admire to the writings of both – the author and the commentators. I am not a pakistani so quitely kept reading and was surprised to see the well written comments/thoughts by many normal pakistanis which have opened my eyes considerably about Pakistan. I have refrained myself from writing anything so far..
But today..Do you know, how you have torchered and tormented me today. Here I am sitting in US where we get awful samosa for $1.50 …and to read all about the different kind of somosas..the craving and yearning..I can’t even begin to describe!
i love samosa , eat two samosas then you have to do some work
Samosas came long way as one of the well known international snack all over the world.
I remember 30 year ago when my father was diplomat in Turkey, at Pakistani school with kids from many nationality use to call it triangle as it as introduce to them in Birthday parties of Pakistan class fallows. Now I leave in Canada and it is very much like by the Canadian of different nationality. At my work a multi national company time to time at staff cafeteria you can find Samosas with chickpea curry. I was introduced to Ethiopian Samosas by my Ethiopian co worker here in Canada.
This article might not be appreciated by people who’re in Roza, otherwise a great article. After reading it, I want to eat smosas. Good job.
I wish the hygiene standards for food stuff in Pakistan goes up to the point, that we are able to enjoy Samosas off the street vendors like our parents did. Now one is concerned about Hepatitis A or B, gastroenteritis, food poisoning etc etc. whenever one eats outside the home in Pakistan.
The most delicious samosa’s I have had were the ones prepared in the canteen in Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. They were cooked outdoor in a large couldren under the pipal(banyan)tree. They were the standard variety of potatoes with anardana and zeera. These mildly spiced samosa’s along with their crisp coating were out of this world. Never tasted anything like that anywhere in the word 25 years later!
it waz fun to read ur article
well the taste of samosa bought from a thela is nothing like of resturants .
Madam,
It is not only us ‘desis’ tat drool over the samosa.I have had firangi friends during college days who used to devour them (samosas of course)while running a non-stop crib about how hot and spicy they were.A more lethal combination in my book is samosa with jalebis, balancing the yin and the yang as you go ahead.
About you culinary succcesses and failures, suffice it to say the fun kies in the jouney and not the destination.
Coming to recipes I like mine with aloo and matar(peas) filling.
And has anyone ever tried the hot, crispy, spicy, delicious samosas of Sukheki? If you drive from Lahore to Sargodha, make a stop at Sukheki and enjoy these babies. You will never forget their taste — ever.
hello to all my pakistani buddies.i m an indian nd can tell u that samosa india(especially north) mein bhi bahut famous hai.But the writer forgot to mention the perfect combination – aloo ke samosay , dhaniya aur pudina ki chutney(coriander and mint), sonth(imli) ki chutney, masaledar kaale choley along with a strong cup of tea.this combination actually is ideal and very common for a small evening meal in india. what about pakistan?
Simply appetising even the very feeling of this fruitful and chutneyful samosa. What should one do, when one’s mouth is in panic for a somosa and one does not know as to where to find it in a far away land?
Hamid Bro- try the little triangles of Deccan Hyderabad. They go down extremely well with cut chai.
Samosa comes from Samos, Greece, where Pythagoras was born.
Well this was what I call mouth watering article. If there was somosa shop close by I would have gone there now and had one or couple of them, but sadly there is none.
Besides the deliciousness lets talk about the portion distortioning of our huge population who gain couple of pounds when they weigh themselves on the Eid day.Samosa is fried and highly caloric and we eat not one of this tasty snack i see people eating two and three samosas on average.I looked for its calories which shows from 350 calories to 150 depending on the size of samosa,and we all believe that the bigger the better.
Personally i find samosay and pakoray responsible for fat tummys and high BMI’s,i know how it feels to hear for people who can’t stop themselves from eating samosa because when i say this to my friends and family they look at me as i am the most ridiculous person they’ve ever seen which i never mind at all.I would admit that Samosa is completely distracting beacuse although i restricted myself from eating it,at times i grabbed one of it and which was really enough for me and here I am suddenly thinking that baking samosa rather than frying it would be a better and healthier option being not sure wether it would be a samosa any more or not,lol.Anyway Samosa is tasty ofcourse but not that much that we should trouble our healths with,so once in a while is still a better option.
I saw in a cooking show Dough for Aloo samosa requires Flour,salt and a pinch of roasted and slightly crushed cumin which is optional,mix it well but make sure its little hard,make small rounds of it fold them in a shape of envelope[triangled] fill it with you favourite filling and seal the open end with egg white,hope it works.
Amber says:”But the samosa is more erratic.”
the triangular samosa is indeed erratic not only shapewise — it is erratic pricewise. Did you say three ‘rupees’ for two in Pakistan?
Here in the USA we pay 70 rupees for one at Halal Apna Bazar — 35 rupees at Ganesh Market per samosa — and 300 rupees for two at the Taj Restaurant.
Your college should make a killing by opening samosa franchise in the US.
SAMOSA RECIPES WELCOME FOR A HOME-SICK DESI IN FRANCE
do you know what i have gone through reading the thing you wrote above?i am just feeling hungry now and cannot wait for the iftari time to have samosas
well as far as hyderabad is concerned there is a nice samosay wala on Lachpat road and near Sachal Commerce College. His chatni is best in town.
@author
……and foodie whose experiments in the kitchen haven’t always turned out quite right. But that hasn’t stopped her from trying to the dismay of her family.
keep up the spirit….. :p
@Mahvesh… My God… the thela is so famous! wah! the samosas of thela near university town are so delicious!
Are these samosas made any where else in world?
I am an ex-pat who lives in USA.Being a single guy once you crave for some spicy “desi” food , you find yourself doing some experiments in the kitchen.Being a big fan of Samosas which seem like easy to make tuned out to be the other way around.The shell does not come out as golden/crisp and flakey like you find in the Samosas made in shops in Pakistan( Try “Kremo key Samosey” in Rawalpindi Sadar.If the shop is still there).He made small smosas stuffed with the potatoes to the point that their centers were bulged and rounded.The pastry shell was crisp/semi hard and would break under the pressure of thumb and index finger.These samosas accompanied diluted Yogurt sauce.
In your article I was hoping to find some links to any Pakistani websites with good samosa recipes. People from Karachi are quite serious about samosas though I am not a big fan of Typical tiny Karachi style samosas with a filling of minced beef.For me Aloo Samosa with some variations( with chopped up green chillis,green onion,anar dana even some cauliflower ) are just fine.My main problem has been the dough for wraping the samosas and the cooking method so they come out flakey and crisp .So either the writer or any other reader would like to write few lines on this subject.Thanks, Atiq
yes. Samosa is a fantastic snack. The cousin of this naan-aloo samosa is Vada-pau in Mumbai. Vada is Aloo vada and Pau is the bun, essentially the Irani Bakery kind and not the regular bread. So it is like the doughy naan, though not the same. With Lasoon Ki dry chatney (dry garlic Chatney) it is a quick snack/lunch for many.
Oh my god, how I’m craving for some samosay RIGHT NOW! Personally, the best I’ve had have been from this one thela near University Town in Peshawar.
Now I only have to wait till iftar :/