flipTransvaal Samoosas
Transvaal Samoosas
Why this dish? The samoosa, a crispy little triangle made by the dozen, is the snack that Indian women prepared together and served at all community gatherings. For Amina, a figure of the Women's Congress, it is the collective gesture of shared kitchens before meetings.
Thin strips of pastry rolled into triangles around a spicy filling of minced meat or peas and potatoes, fried until golden and crunchy.
Folding samoosas is never done alone — we sit around the table, several of us, chatting away, and the triangles pile up. The secret is a tight fold and the tip sealed with flour paste so no filling escapes into the oil. We would make hundreds before each women's meeting; between folds, we talked about the Charter, the pass laws, everything we were going to change. Bite into one while it's still hot, and you'll understand why no one ever refused to come help us in the kitchen.
- •Thin pastry strips (pur) — one packet (wrapper)
- •Minced meat or peas — one bowl (filling)
- •Onion, garlic, ginger — a little (aromatics)
- •Masala and chili — to taste (fragrance)
- •Fresh coriander — a handful (freshness)
- •Oil — for deep-frying (cooking)
Transvaal Samoosas
Thin strips of pastry rolled into triangles around a spicy filling of minced meat or peas and potatoes, fried until golden and crunchy.
Why this dish? The samoosa, a crispy little triangle made by the dozen, is the snack that Indian women prepared together and served at all community gatherings. For Amina, a figure of the Women's Congress, it is the collective gesture of shared kitchens before meetings.
Folding samoosas is never done alone — we sit around the table, several of us, chatting away, and the triangles pile up. The secret is a tight fold and the tip sealed with flour paste so no filling escapes into the oil. We would make hundreds before each women's meeting; between folds, we talked about the Charter, the pass laws, everything we were going to change. Bite into one while it's still hot, and you'll understand why no one ever refused to come help us in the kitchen.
Ingredients (period version)
- Thin pastry strips (pur) — one packet (wrapper)
- Minced meat or peas — one bowl (filling)
- Onion, garlic, ginger — a little (aromatics)
- Masala and chili — to taste (fragrance)
- Fresh coriander — a handful (freshness)
- Oil — for deep-frying (cooking)
Ingredients
- Spring roll wrappers or samoosa pastry sheets — 1 packet (wrapper)
- Minced beef or lamb (or cooked split peas + potato) — 400 g (filling)
- Onion — 1, finely chopped (aromatic)
- Garlic-ginger paste — 1 tbsp (aromatic)
- Garam masala, cumin, turmeric, chili — 1 tbsp total (fragrance)
- Fresh coriander — 1 small bunch (freshness)
- Flour + water — for paste (sealant)
- Neutral oil — for deep-frying (cooking)
Method
- Sauté onion, garlic and ginger, add minced meat and spices, cook until the meat is very dry (otherwise the samoosa goes soggy).
- Off the heat, stir in chopped coriander; let cool.
- Make a paste by mixing flour with a little water.
- Fold each strip into a triangular pocket, fill with a spoonful of filling, continue folding into tight triangles and seal the tip with the paste.
- Heat oil to 170 °C and fry samoosas in small batches until golden, turning halfway.
- Drain on paper and serve hot, with chutney.
How it was made : The samoosa has accompanied the Indian diaspora for centuries. In South Africa, its preparation was a collective female activity, often on a large scale for religious festivals and gatherings. The 'pur' pastry, very thin and pre-cooked, was sometimes homemade on the tawa.
The contemporary twist : Serve with a bright green coriander-mint chutney and, for the eye, arrange the triangles standing up in a fan.
Sources : Zuleikha Mayat, Indian Delights, Women's Cultural Group, Durban, 1961
Amina Cachalia · Charactorium
