As a child, samosas were a special treat. Something we did not have occasionally. It was back when we still bought good samosas filled with flaky rice for mere 100 shillings. When we would save all the 50 shilling coins we could find (because back then they could still buy something) so that we could splurge on an assortment of samosas. Even samosa vendors were hard to come by. They could not sell samosas anyhow because it took great care and patience to make a mouth-watering filling and a crunchy phyllo-like shell. Samosas still are a treat these days because they require an amount of time and effort to make. I realized this when I made my first batch. Although they require a lot of preparation time, the process is simple and the after product is unbeatable. Biting into the flaky shell that melts in your mouth and a filling that bursts with different flavors and textures is worth it.

With my friends at Paramount Dairies, I bring you this classic pea samosa or ‘sumbusa’ if you may, but with cheese! This time I am using the Gouda cheese which has a sharp and strong flavor that takes the samosas to whole new level. Everything gets better with cheese.

What you will need:

Pastry

2 C. Baking flour

8 Tbsp. Butter/Margarine

1/2 C. Water

Oil for frying

 

Filling

2 C. Peas, boiled

Paramount Gouda Cheese, cut into sticks

1 Large carrot, finely chopped

2 Green papers, finely chopped

2 Large tomatoes, finely chopped

2 Medium onions, finely chopped

3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Tsp. of finely chopped ginger

Salt

Observations:

1. In this recipe, I used dry peas. If you are using dry peas, Soak them overnight and then boil then for 1 hour or until they are soft to the touch.
2. If you are working alone, I recommend cutting all the vegetables ahead. This will help ease the load.

 

Method

Pastry

In a dish, combine flour with butter/margarine. Keep mixing until the mixture becomes crumbly. Next, add water. A tablespoon at a time while mixing until you form a firm dough. Divide the dough into six equal balls. Roll each ball into a circle (or something close to it) making sure it is as thin as possible but not nearly breaking. Cut the circles into equal halves. Fold all the halves into cones. Seal the edges by dipping a finger in water and running it across the edge and then pressing together, leaving an opening for the filling.

 

Filling

On medium heat, add a sauce pan. Add two tablespoons of oil and wait for it to become hot. Next, add the ginger and garlic and wait for it to brown a little. Once browned, add the onions and stir. Add the tomatoes and cover pan for close to two minutes. Check if the tomatoes are softened. If they are, add the green paper and carrots. Stir. Add the Peas and Stir. Cover the pan for 5 minutes. Remove lid and stir while adding salt. Keep stirring till the mixture becomes dry (without any liquids left). Remove from fire.

Assembling

Hold Open the Samosa cone and insert a stick of cheese then add a tablespoon of filling. Seal the edges by dipping a finger in water and running it across the edge and then pinch closed. Do this for all the samosa cones.

Over high heat, put a pan with oil for frying. Wait for it to become hot (this may take five minutes or more). Fry the samosas until they turn golden brown. Serve warm

Are you convinced to make your own now? Let me know how they turn out in the comments below.

🙂

Sophie

Note: You can find Paramount Gouda Cheese in major supermarkets in Kampala.