Samosa

A samosa is a triangular pastry filled with spiced potato and peas and deep-fried until blistered. Its ancestor, the sanbosag, travelled from the Middle East and Central Asia into the subcontinent centuries ago via Persian-influenced courts and trade routes — the samosa was not born in India, but nowhere else made it as famous or as varied.

What it really is

Wheat dough is rolled thin and folded into a cone. Potato is boiled, roughly crushed and seasoned with cumin, coriander, ginger and chilli, with peas added whole; the cone is filled, sealed and fried until the crust bubbles.

Filling varies by region and by shop. Potato and pea is the version most restaurants serve, but meat, lentil and paneer fillings are all traditional. The pastry and the shape are what make it a samosa.

How it is served

• Hot, with mint or tamarind chutney.
• As a starter, or two or three as a light meal.
• From a counter, wrapped in paper, eaten walking.

How to write it on the menu

• Say what the filling is — potato and pea is not a safe assumption.
• The classic filling is vegetarian, and vegan when fried in oil rather than ghee.
• The pastry is wheat; there is no gluten-free version of this dish.

The ingredients, allergens and dietary notes listed here describe a typical recipe. They are not a binding declaration for any particular restaurant: recipes, portion sizes and the products used can differ.