samosa

For the Nicaraguan dictator(s), see Somoza

Samosa

Samosa with chutney from Mumbai, India
Origin
Alternate name(s)	Samsa, Somsa, Sambosak, Sambusa
Region or state	South Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, the Horn of Africa and North Africa
Dish details
Main ingredient(s)	maida, potato, onion, spices, green chili, cheese, meat
Variations	Chamuça

The samosa (pronounced [səˈmou̯sə]) or shingarar (pronounced [ˈshiŋgrɑːr]) in South Asia (Punjabi: smosa, Hindi: samosa), sambusak (Arabic: سمبوسك‎), samsa (pronounced [ˈsamsə]) or somsa in Turkic Central Asia (Kyrgyz: самса, IPA: [sɑmsɑ́]; Kazakh: самса, IPA: [sɑmsɑ́], Uzbek: somsa, IPA: [sɒmsa]), sambusa among Egyptians, Ethiopians and Somalis (Somali: sambuusa) and Tajiks (Tajik: самбӯса), sanbusa among Iranians (Persian: سنبوسه) or chamuça in the Lusophone world, is a stuffed pastry and a popular snack in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, throughout the Mediterranean (Greece), Southwest Asia, the Horn of Africa and North Africa.

It generally consists of a fried or baked triangular-, half-moon-, or tetrahedron-shaped pastry shell with a savory filling of spiced potatoes, onion, peas, coriander, lentils, or sometimes fresh paneer. Non-vegetarian samosas may substitute fillings of minced meat or fish. The size and shape of a samosa as well as the consistency of the pastry used can vary considerably, although it is mostly triangular. They are often served with imli chutney or curd.

Etymology

The word samosa can be traced to the Persian "sanbosag".^[1] The pastry's name in other countries also derives from this root, such as the crescent-shaped sanbusak or sanbusaj in Arab countries, sambosa in Afghanistan,"samosa" in India, "samboosa" in Tajikistan, samsa by Turkic-speaking nations, sambusa in parts of Iran and chamuça in Goa, Mozambique and Portugal^[1]. While they are modernly referred to as sambusak in the Arabic-speaking world, Medieval Arabic recipe books sometimes spell it sambusaj.^{[citation needed]}

Regional varieties

Different regions which have inherited this food have significantly different ways of preparing it.

Central Asia

Filled and cut samosa ready to be baked in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan.

In Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, samsas are almost always baked and never fried. The dough can be a simple bread dough, or a layered pastry dough. The most common filling for traditional samsa is lamb and onions, but beef, chicken, and cheese varieties are also quite common from street vendors. Samsas with other fillings, such as potato or pumpkin (usually only when in season), can also be found.

South Asia

Samosas being fried at a road-side vendor in India.

The popular Indian vegetarian version of the samosa contains flour (maida), potato, onion, spices, green chili. It is often eaten with chutney, such as mint, coriander or tamarind. It can also be prepared as a sweet form, rather than as a savory one. Non-vegetarian versions can contain meat (e.g. keema) or sometimes fish filling. Samosas are often served in chaat, along with the traditional accompaniments of yogurt, chutney, chopped onions and coriander, and chaat masala.

In Pakistan, the Faisalabadi samosa are very well known. People from across Pakistan flock to the city just to try them. They are abnormally large topped with spicy red and white chutney with a side portion of onion salad. The filling is usually mixed vegetable, however the meat version also remains very popular.

They are called "samusa" in Burmese, and are an extremely popular snack in Burma.

In Hyderabad, India, a smaller version of the samosa with a thicker pastry crust and mince filled is called a Lukhmi.

Horn of Africa

Samosas are a staple of local cuisine in the Horn of Africa, particularly in Somalia and Ethiopia where they are known as sambussa. While sambusas can be eaten any time of the year, they are usually reserved for special occasions such as Christmas, Meskel, or Ramadan.

Near East

Sambusak in the Near East is often prepared by folding a thin circular piece of dough over the filling, either in half to form a semicircle or at three edges to form a triangular shape. The resulting pastry is shallow fried on both sides or baked.

Traditional fillings are:

1. minced meat and onions, sometimes with crushed chickpeas;
2. spinach with little chopped pieces of onions, spiced with sumac;
3. chickpeas (garbanzo beans), onions and peppers;
4. cheese (usually feta or halloumi).

In Israel, sambusak is usually filled with mashed chickpeas.^[2] It is associated with Sephardic Jewish cuisine and considered an Iraqi dish. It can be eaten with hummus as part of the mezza (appetizer spread before a meal).

Lusophone world

Portuguese chamuças.

In Goa and Portugal, samosas are known as chamuças, usually filled with chicken, beef, pork, or vegetables and generally quite hot. They are an integral part of Goan cuisine and Portuguese cuisine.

Chamuças is also relatively common in several former Portuguese colonies in Africa, such as Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, Angola and Mozambique.

Anglophone world

Samosas have become popular in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Kenya and in Canada and the United States. They may be called "samboosa" or "sambusac", and in South Africa they are often called "samoosa".^[3] Frozen samosas are increasingly available in grocery stores in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.

While samosas are traditionally fried, many Westerners prefer to bake them, as this is more convenient and healthier. Variations using phyllo^[4] or flour tortillas^[5] are not unheard of in Western countries.

History

A street vendor making samosas in Pakistan.

The Samosa has been a popular snack in South Asia for centuries. It is believed that it originated in Central Asia (where they are known as samsa^[6]) prior to the 10th century.^[7] Abolfazl Beyhaqi (995-1077), the great Iranian historian has mentioned it in his history, Tarikh-e Beyhaghi.^[8] It was introduced to the Indian subcontinent in the 13th or 14th century by traders from the region.^[1]

Amir Khusro (1253-1325), a scholar and the royal poet of the Delhi Sultanate, wrote in around 1300 that the princes and nobles enjoyed the "samosa prepared from meat, ghee, onion and so on". ^[9][10]

Ibn Battuta, the 14th century traveller and explorer, describes a meal at the court of Muhammad bin Tughluq where the samushak or sambusak, a small pie stuffed with minced meat, almonds, pistachio, walnuts and spices, was served before the third course, of pulao.^[10][11]

The Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th century Mughal document, mentions the recipe for 'Qutab', which it says, “the people of Hindustan call sanbúsah”.^[12]

See also

• Dumpling
• Aloo pie
• Lukhmi
• Bourekas
• Empanada
• Turnover

References

External links

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Samosa

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Samosa

• Samosa Recipe A site dedicated to samosa recipes.
• Samosa Recipe Learn how to make Samosas.
• The Samosa Diaspora describes similar foods around the world
• "Baked Samosa recipe with Mango Chutney". Wai Lana, wailana.com. http://www.wailana.com/lifestyle/recipes/recipe.php?id=9. Retrieved 2006-08-29. 
• The Samosa Connection for a culinary history
• Video demonstration to make a samosa
• Traditional Sambusak Recipe and Video Tutorial
• Meat Sambusak Recipe
• Cheese Sambusak Recipe