Irani/Onion Samosas

Servings : Fills 15 Samosas

These are small crispy pastries with a spicy onion filling. They are sometimes known as Irani samosas because they are usually sold in most of the Irani tea cafes in India. When I first heard of these addictive snacks, I was not entirely convinced that I would really like a samosa that is filled with onions. I am glad to admit that I got hooked on the first bite. Hot super crunchy samosas stuffed with a slightly caramelised spicy onion filling and served with a spicy dip is actually an amazingly addictive snack!

Ingredients

  • 3 medium onions, finely sliced (makes 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/4 cup poha (flattened rice) OR dried breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp. oil
  • 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
  • 3-4 tbsp. fresh coriander, chopped
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp. chilli powder
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic paste
  • 1/4 tsp. cumin powder
  • 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp. garam masala

Instructions

Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and allow them to splutter. Then add the sliced onions, sprinkle the salt and stir-fry for about 3-4 minutes just to cook them down a little bit and get them to caramelise very slightly around the edges.Then add all the other powdered spices. Turn off the heat and add the poha or breadcrumbs, chopped chillies and chopped coriander. Squeeze in the lemon juice and give everything a stir.

The poha or flattened rice helps absorb any excess moisture from the filling as onions are prone to releasing their own moisture. This ensures that the samosas remain crispy for hours.  If you do not have this, you could use dried breadcrumbs.

Allow the mixture to cool completely before stuffing the samosas. These samosas turn out so much crunchier when double fried. What this means is, they are fried the first time until they are a pale golden colour. Then the samosas are drained and allowed to cool slightly. At this point the samosas can even be frozen for a later day. When ready for the second fry, heat the oil again and re-fry them until they are a darker golden colour. Then drain and serve with a dip of your choice!

Enjoy!

2 thoughts on “Irani/Onion Samosas
2 Replies

Leave a Reply