The Cornish Pasty |
The samosa is less like a proper pasty than some other pasty-like dishes in the Pastypaedia - but it starts with a pastry filled with vegetables and sometimes minced meat, so .....
A samosa is a common snack in South Asia, in countries such as Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. It is believed that it originated in Central Asia prior to the 10th century.[1]
It generally consists of a fried triangular- or tetrahedron-shaped pastry shell with a savory potato, onion and pea stuffing, but other stuffings like minced meat and fish are often used. The size and shape of a samosa, as well as the consistency of the pastry used, can vary considerably. It can be spicy and is often eaten with chutney, such as mint, coriander or tamarind. It is often savored with tea or coffee. It can also be prepared as a sweet form, rather than as a savory one. In the city of Hyderabad, India, a smaller version of the samosa with a thicker pastry crust and mince filled center is called a Luqmi.
Samosas are often served in chaat, along with the traditional accompaniments of yogurt, chutney, chopped onions and coriander, and chaat masala.
Samosas have become popular in the United Kingdom, South Africa and East Africa, Persian Gulf countries and the United States. They are often called "Samboosa" or sambusac by the Arabs. Frozen samosas are increasingly available in grocery stores in the United States.
While samosas are traditionally fried, many Westerners prefer to bake them, as this is more convenient and is perceived to be healthier (this could be seen as an example of fusion cuisine).
In Portugal samosas are known as "chamusas" and they are very popular in Lisbon. Not only in Europe but also among the West coast of Africa, in Mozambique also samosas' are very popular.
More information can be found here: http://www.food-india.com/recipe/R026_050/R032.htm.
Acknowledgement: This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Samosa.
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