CRISPY VEGETARIAN SAMOSAS WITH CILANTRO-YOGURT SAUCE

Crispy Vegetarian Samosas with Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce image

A Indian inspired vegetarian appetizer with a delicious filling, crispy filo pastry and a cool cilantro sauce!

Provided by Marilena Leavitt

Categories Appetizer

Time 1h20m

Yield 50

Number Of Ingredients 25

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Ingredients

For the Samosas:
2 medium baking potatoes (like russet), peeled, cubed into ½" cubes
2 TBSP. sunflower (or vegetable) oil
1 small red or yellow onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBSP. fresh ginger, grated
½ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander, ground
½ tsp. garam masala
½ tsp. ground turmeric
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¾ tsp. salt
¼ cup warm water
½ cup green peas, frozen and thawed
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 box (16oz) filo pastry (I used Fillo Factory), defrosted
--- melted butter
For the cilantro-ginger sauce:
1½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed
1 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
1 TBSP. grated ginger
¼ - ½ cup plain, strained yogurt
¼ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. sugar

Steps:

Remove the package of thawed filo from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature while you work on the filling.
Peel and cut the potatoes into small cubes. Place them in a pot with boiling water over medium high heat and cook the potatoes for about 5 minutes, or until they are fork tender. Drain them, reserve a little of the cooking water, and set aside.
While the potatoes are cooking, set a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add the vegetable oil and sauté the onion until translucent, about four minutes. Then add the garlic and the ginger, and cook for a few more minutes until caramelized and fragrant. To the skillet, add the cumin seeds, the coriander, garam masala, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. This step is important-it will allow the spices to bloom and give the mixture a deep flavor.
Next, add the potatoes to the skillet and season everything with salt. With the back of a wooden spoon, mash the potatoes gently and add about ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water to loosen up the mixture. Gently fold in the peas, cover the skillet and turn off the heat.
To make the dipping sauce, place all ingredients in the bowl of a small food processor or a small blender and mix until the sauce is smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Refrigerate the sauce until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Melt about ⅓ cup of butter and let it cool. Place one filo sheet on a clean surface. With a pastry brush, brush the filo with some butter. Top with a second filo sheet and brush it with some butter again. Cut the filo vertically into 8 strips. Place a spoonful of the filling in the bottom right corner of the pastry strip. Fold the pastry into a triangle, rolling it all the way to the top. Repeat with the rest of the filo until the entire filling is used.
Place the samosa triangles on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with some of the melted butter. Bake for about 20 minutes or until crisp and lightly brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool. Serve warm or at room temperature with the dipping sauce.