Sambusa Recipe

Enjoying a plate of freshly fried sambusas with dipping sauce

Flaky, fried pastry wrapped around beautifully spiced ground beef or lamb makes these handheld treats a true delight. Add a few exciting dipping sauces, and you have an insanely delicious appetizer or a fun main course.

Makes approximately 20 sambusas

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Middle East

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 303kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

Sambusa Filling

2 tablespoons oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon grated ginger
1 pound ground beef or lamb
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon bouillon (or sub with salt)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon turmeric
⅓ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Wrapper Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tablespoon sugar (optional)
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
½ cup water or as needed

Assembly

¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup water, or as needed
Oil for deep frying

Instructions

Sambusa Filling

In a large skillet, heat some vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, minced garlic, and grated ginger and sauté until they are translucent and fragrant.
Add the ground beef or lamb to the skillet and cook until browned and cooked through. Break up any large chunks as it cooks.
Add the salt, bouillon powder, pepper, cumin, coriander, curry, paprika, and turmeric. Stir well to combine and cook for another minute to let the flavors meld.
Add the cilantro and let it cook for another minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside to cool.

Wrapper Dough

To make the dough, combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Drizzle in the vegetable oil and mix with your hands until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Gradually add water a little at a time, and knead the dough until it comes together into a smooth, elastic ball. It should be firm but pliable. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 10 minutes.
After the dough has rested, knead it on a floured surface for two more minutes and divide it into five small balls.
Roll each ball into a circle about 4" (10cm) in diameter with a rolling pin.
Once done rolling all the dough balls, layer them. Start by brushing a little vegetable oil on a circle, sprinkling it with some flour, and then placing another circle on it. Repeat the oiling and flouring step until you have layered all the circles. That will enable you to separate the dough after cooking.
Roll out the layered circles until they are about 12" (30cm) in diameter.
Heat a large pan over low heat and add your dough. Cook for 3 minutes on both sides. It should not brown, just warmed through.
Take it off the heat and place it on your work surface. Using a large plate or any round object, cut out the dough so that the dry edges are removed and it has a nice, even circular shape.
Next, cut up the dough into quarters and gently separate the samosa wraps.
Quickly make a flour paste by mixing flour and water until you have a smooth paste.

Assembly

Take each samosa wrap, and fold the edges of the rounded side onto each other so you have a long diamond-shaped pocket. Using your finger, apply the paste to seal it into shape.
Place a spoonful of the cooled meat filling into the pocket and then fold over the top part of the pocket. Press the edges firmly to seal the sambusa. Repeat this process with the remaining dough and filling.
Refrigerate for about an hour, if you have time, before frying.
Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or pot for deep frying. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the sambusas in the oil, a few at a time, and fry until they turn golden brown and crispy on all sides. Remove the sambusas from the oil and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
Serve the sambusas hot as an appetizer or snack with a dipping sauce of your choice, such as spicy tomato sauce or a tangy mint yogurt sauce.

Notes

Make sure to seal the edges of the sambusas properly to prevent the filling from leaking out during frying.
On the same note, don't overstuff them because the seal can bust open.
Avoid overcrowding your frying pan so your oil's temperature doesn't drop and lengthen the frying time.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition