Quick and (nearly) painless Samosas!

I started making these almost a year ago when I read the recipe in the Kent Reporter. Samosas are mostly thought of as being Indian, but really everyone has a version of them (except maybe the U.S./Canada...all of the countries who consider cabbage a main food group...) and they are all delicious! The selling point: It's just not possible to screw them up--pan fried, meat/veggie stuffed pastries...they're going to taste good no matter how horrible of a cook you are! The biggest problem I've run into, however, is after I make them I realize that they really do need to be dipped into something...what has worked best for me is using a plum sauce or mango chutney, both of which can be found in the international/kosher section of most grocery stores or at any Asian food market.

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 large chopped onion
• 2 tsp grated ginger/ginger paste/(or just use the 1 tsp of the spice, really doesn't matter much)
• 3-4 cloves of minced garlic
•  SPICES! (I always make a spice mix of 1 tbsp garam masala, 1 tbsp curry powder/tumeric, pinch of salt, cinnamon and nutmeg) 

Dough:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp veggie oil/canola oil
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup water

Directions:

For filling
1. Combine spices and using your hands fold into the raw ground beef.
2. Cook meat with onion and grated ginger in a skillet over medium heat. Set aside.

For dough
1. In bowl, sift together flour and salt. Using your finger, make a divet in the center of the dough (deep, but not to bottom) and fill with oil and water. Using a fork, stir quickly until sticky dough forms.
2. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes on generously floured surface until elastic. Cover bowl with damp towel so as to allow the dough to not dry out when not in use.

For assembly
1. Break of a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball and with your fingers, stretch out into a flat circle (like you're making a tiny pizza).
2. *This part varies, depending on what shape/consistency of dough you want your samosas to have* I usually stick a spoonful of filling in the center of the dough and wrap in up like a potsticker; if you would like to make triangles (thinner, crisper dough) you should cut your dough circle in half, place filling on one side and then place the other half of dough over the one with the filling as though you are making a sandwich; then, use your fingers to seal the edges and form samosa into a triangular shape.
3. Once you've assembled your samosas, heat 1/4 cup (probably more) of oil in skillet and fry pastries four or five at a time until crisp and golden brown on all sides.
4. Serve with plum sauce/chutney. Enjoy!

Photo: Taste.com
Recipe: A la moi and the Kent Reporter