Surprising samosas: They didn’t originate in India!
We don't need to introduce you to samosas, do we? The crispy snack filled with spicy potato filling has been a part of almost every celebration. From maximising the fun of monsoon or the joy of tea time snacking, there are many ways, those piping hot do it all for us. But, as much as we love to eat and enjoy samosas, we were not the ones to create them. Yes, our beloved samosas are not Indian in origin. Also, the samosas are pretty ancient (from the 10th century). Let’s dig deep into the history and origin of this lip-smacking snack.
The origin story
As already mentioned, samosas haven’t originated in India. Several reports suggest that they originated in the Middle East during the 10th century. Samosas were first mentioned in Abolfazl Beyhaqi's (a Persian historian) work, Tarikh-e Beyhaghi. He referred to it as 'Sambosa', small in size and easy to eat on-the-go. Sambosa was famous among travellers, who could easily carry it in their saddles and eat it at leisure. However, this is not the only mention of samosas in history, but there are other accounts as well.
In Medieval Persian texts, 'Sambosa' has been mentioned many times. Other mentions are sanbusak, sanbusaq and even sanbusaj. These were tiny triangles filled with minced meat and eaten by travelling merchants. Some sources say these travellers took these snacks and travelled to North Africa, East Asia and South Asia.
Samosa comes to India
During the Delhi Sultanate's rule in India, many Middle Eastern chefs came here to seek employment. They may have carried the recipe of the humble samosa with them. Some sources also say the travelling merchants might be the ones who gifted samosas to India in their saddles. But, irrespective of who might have brought them, these came a favourite of the Indian royalty. The love for samosas by the royals is evident in the writings of many poets and travellers.
Ibn Batuta, a famous traveller from Morocco, often went to banquets held by Muhammad bin Tughlaq, a Sultan of Delhi from the year 1325 to 1351. In his writings, Batuta mentions a triangular pastry filled with minced meat, peas, almonds and pistachios. Likewise, a Sufi scholar and poet, Amir Khusrau, mentioned samosas as a snack enjoyed by nobles of the royal Indian court in the 1300s. Street vendors soon adapted this royal snack, and the commoners showered samosas with much love.
The making of samosas
To make a samosa, one must start by making the filling! All the spices are sautéed in a pan and boiled mashed potatoes are added. The ingredients are mixed together and sautéed for two minutes. Your stuffing is ready! To make the dough, all-purpose flour, carom seeds and salt are mixed along with some ghee. This dough is kept aside for 30 minutes. Now, small balls of dough are rolled out and flattened with the help of a rolling pin. They are cut into half after being shaped in round. One half of the circle is folded into a cone, which is stuffed with a spoonful of the filling. The ends of the cone are thoroughly squeezed and sealed using a few drops of water. These triangular pastries are deep fried on low heat until they turn golden brown. Your samosas are ready to serve and enjoy!