Share
Crispy, crunchy samosas are the perfect afternoon snack on rainy afternoons. Dipped in coriander and mint chutney that packs a bit of heat, this deep-fried food is sheer indulgence. Gorging on a samosa with a steaming cup of chai is a comforting stress buster on a long working day! And if you're making samosas at home, there is an added excitement in enjoying this homecooked fried snack without worrying about the number of samosas you put onto your plate!
Image credit: Unsplash
However, making a perfectly crispy samosa requires quite a bit of technique and skill. The dough has to be kneaded just right and the potato stuffing inside has to be perfectly cooked so that it fits snugly into the conical opening made using the outer coating. Over time, home cooks have perfected the art of folding the outer coating in such a way that it sustains its shape and the samosa fries to a perfectly crispy golden brown without the stuffing breaking out. Read on below for some handy and essential tips to make a crispy outer samosa coating at home:
Adjust The Water
While kneading the dough, make sure you adjust the quantity of water to ensure that the dough is not too soft. If the flour and water mixture go out of proportion, it can make the dough so soggy that you will be unable to form the samosa cone. The samosa dough should be slightly thicker than a chapati or roti dough so lower the amount of water to acquire a harder knead.
Use Ghee
For a crispy exterior coating, use ghee instead of oil because it contains extra dense fats. Add ghee by first mixing some of this clarified butter with salt and carrom or ajwain seeds in a separate bowl and then pouring it into the flour. Make sure the ghee covers all the flour before adding the water for kneading.
Rest The Dough
If you are planning on making samosas at home, knead the dough and rest it for a while. Over kneading can ruin the consistency of the dough required for creating the outer coating and using the dough without letting it rest might prevent it from crispening properly. So, rest the dough for half an hour before rolling it into tiny balls that would be flattened using a rolling pin.
Roll A Thicker Roti
Making a samosa involves stuffing the outer coating with a potato, veggie or meat subzi. This means, once the dough is kneaded, it has to be rolled into a small roti-like shape that can be folded into a cone in which the stuffing is then added. Make a coating that is thick enough to hold this stuffing but not so thick that it will remain raw inside when dipped in hot oil for frying.
Monitor Oil
When it comes to the frying technique, make sure the oil is just the right temperature. Oil that is too warm will lead to bubbles forming on the outer coating that will hamper its crispy texture. Keep the oil on a medium-low flame initially and adjust the heat to ensure that all the samosas are fried evenly.
Rest On A Cooling Rack
Instead of resting the crispy fried samosas on a tissue paper, use a wire rack to drain excess oil from the deep-fried food. This will ensure that the samosa does not turn soggy or stick to the tissue paper while it is resting in a plate. Additionally, avoid covering the samosas with a lid that would trap moisture in and make them soft and soggy.
Double Fry The Samosa
This is a handy trick if you are not too worried about your fried food intake! Fry the samosa once until it is half cooked and refry it when you have to serve it hot for achieving that extra crispy outer coating. Make sure you monitor the heat of the oil to prevent the samosa from burning.
