Samoosi yirakot

Name: Samoosi yirakot (Stuffed vegetable turnovers)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 23 min
Total time: 53 min
Yield: Serves 6 (makes about 12)
Cuisine: Afghan
Ingredients: 1 potato, peeled and cut into small pieces; 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) chilled water, approximately; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 carrot, chopped; ¼ teaspoon salt; 1 garlic clove, chopped; 1 onion, chopped; 1 tablespoon rice bran oil; 75 g (2½ oz/½ cup) green peas, fresh or frozen; 60 g (2¼ oz/½ cup) chopped cauliflower; a pinch of saffron threads; ½ teaspoon ground turmeric; ½ teaspoon Chaat masala; 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) vegetable oil, for deep-frying; Green coconut chutney, to serve; 115 g (4 oz/1 cup) fine matzoh meal; 1 egg, beaten

Stuffed vegetable turnovers

Preparation info

Serves
6
(makes about 12)

Difficulty
Medium
Ready in
55 min

Appears in

Lands of the Curry Leaf

By Peter Kuruvita

Published 2018

About

Afghani cuisine uses many of the same spices as the Middle East and India, but is milder and lighter than its Indian cousin, as you’ll see with these lovely turnovers.

If convenient, you can make the dough a few hours ahead, which will give a better result, as the matzoh meal will absorb all the liquid in the dough.

Ingredients

1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Asia
Afghanistan
Snack
Vegetarian
Spicy

Method

To make the dough, mix the matzoh meal in a bowl with the egg and salt, adding just enough of the chilled water to make a moist dough that holds together. Set aside.

For the filling, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the potato and carrot and blanch for 3 minutes. Add the cauliflower to the pan; if using fresh peas, add them now as well. Blanch for another 2 minute