Try Rosa Matto’s recipe for golden, flaky samosas as a side, or a hero in itself.

Recipes Rosa Matto | Styling Natalie Homan | Photographs Brendan Homan

makes 12

pastry
220g plain flour
50g cornflour
60g ghee (or oil)
¾ tsp ajwan seeds
¾ tsp salt
60ml cold water from fridge

Sift flour and, using your fingertips, rub ghee in thoroughly until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Gradually add iced water and knead to a smooth dough – you may need up to 2 extra tbsp to achieve a firm dough that is not sticky. (You can do all of this in a food processor, using the pulsing function.) Roll into a flat disc and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

Cut into 6 even pieces of approx 70g each. Lightly oil the counter, don’t use flour as it will dry out the dough. Roll each piece into an oval shape 22cm long and 16cm at its widest point. Cut each oval in two across the middle at its widest part. Brush the straight edge lightly with water. Bring in the sides to make a cone shape, bringing the rounded edge to make a point. Overlap the edges by 1cm. Press down on the seam and the point.

Fill with a tablespoon of filling, pressing down with the back of a teaspoon. Using water sparingly, dampen the straight edges of the cone. Press the edges together, gently making a pleat on one side to make the edges fit exactly. This will form the flat base of your samosa.

Heat up the oil to medium hot and deep fry the samosas until golden.

filling
180g onion finely chopped
30g Ayam curry powder
200g minced lamb
180g potato cut into 1-3cm cube
150g peas
4-5 curry leaves
12-14 coriander leaves, roughly chopped
120ml coconut milk
15ml kecap manis
salt and pepper
chilli flakes, to taste
sunflower or peanut oil for frying

Heat oil and fry onion and curry powder until fragrant. Add meat and potato and cook until light brown. Add the peas, curry leaves and coriander and mix through to heat. Add coconut milk, kecap manis, salt and pepper. Cook until thick. And add chilli flakes to taste. Allow to cool completely.

lemon or lime pickle
2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tsp black mustard seed
curry leaf
8 medium-large limes or 4 lemons
2 tbsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp turmeric
¼ cup salt
1 cup mustard oil, peanut oil or sunflower oil

Heat a frypan over medium heat. Add the fenugreek, fennel and mustard seeds and toast until fragrant. Add the curry leaf for a minute. Let them cool, then process in a spice grinder. Quarter the fruit, then cut into small dice. Place the citrus in a bowl. Add the ground spice along with the chilli, turmeric and salt. Mix well.

Heat the oil in the same frypan you used to toast the spices. Pour the hot oil into the bowl with the limes and spices. Mix thoroughly, then transfer to a 300ml sterilized jar.

The pickles will be ready in a week.

 

This article first appeared in the August 2022 issue of SALIFE magazine.