Simmered Vegetable Samosas with Tamarind Chutney
Crisp-fried samosas stuffed with a savory vegetable filling, served with tangy tamarind chutney inspired by East African coastal flavors. This African-inspired recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 65 minutes, turns all-purpose flour, water, vegetable oil into a satisfying snack for between meals, packed lunches, or game-day spreads — minimal active time and easy to scale up for a crowd. Each serving lands at about 180 calories and feeds 6, so it fits into lunchboxes, road trips, or an afternoon-energy gap without derailing the day. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup, warm water
- 3 tbsp, plus more for frying vegetable oil
- 2 medium, peeled and diced potato
- 1 medium, diced carrot
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas
- 1 small, finely chopped onion
- 2 cloves, minced garlic cloves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (for chutney) water
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 3 tbsp vegetable oil, and 1/2 cup warm water. Knead into a smooth, firm dough. Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
- Step 2: Boil 2 medium diced potatoes and 1 diced carrot in salted water for 8 minutes until tender. Drain, then add 1/2 cup frozen green peas and mix well.
- Step 3: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and toast until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
- Step 4: Add 1 small finely chopped onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until soft. Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper, cooking for 1 minute.
- Step 5: Mix the cooked vegetables into the spiced onion mixture and cook together for 3 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool.
- Step 6: Divide dough into 12 equal balls. Roll each ball into a thin oval, cut in half to form two semi-circles.
- Step 7: Form a cone with each semi-circle, fill with 2 tbsp vegetable filling, and seal edges using water.
- Step 8: Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Fry samosas in batches for 3-4 minutes each until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
- Step 9: For chutney, combine 2 tbsp tamarind paste, 1 tbsp brown sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Step 10: Serve hot samosas with the tamarind chutney for dipping.








