RAMESH Maragh, a student from the University of Technology, created an explosion of great Indian flavours in just a single bite with his Vegetable Samosas.

The Vegetable Samosas can be served as an appetiser and it is also perfect for children to have as a snack at a party, or just at home. The great thing about the treat is that it is very versatile and can be filled with chicken, fish, any other meat, and not just vegetables. It allows for variety while still carrying a nice spicy flavour that many can enjoy.

Ingredients

For the dough

11 oz all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

Water (as needed)

2 fl oz vegetable oil

For the filling

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 onion (minced)

1 tbsp ginger (minced)

1 hot pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 1/2 lb Irish potato

6 oz green peas

1 tbsp fresh cilantro

Salt to taste

For the paste

4 oz all purpose flour

1 tbsp water

1 qt vegetable oil (for frying)

For the garnish

Escallion oil

Red pepper oil

Julienned vegetables

Method

1 Wash, peel and cut potatoes into four pieces. In a medium-sized pot add 1/2 gallon of water and salt to taste. Add potatoes and boil until tender. This should take about 10 to 12 minutes, drain, and set aside.

2 To make wrappers, sift flour and salt together in a mixing bowl. Add water and oil until a soft pliable dough forms. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.

3 Divide dough into balls. Roll each ball into a three to four-inch circle, dust with flour as needed. Or roll dough out with a sheeter or pasta machine. Cover with a damp towel.

4 To make filling, heat oil in a medium-sized sauce pan or skillet. Add coriander and cumin seeds. When they stop sizzling, add onions and brown, then add ginger and chillies. Sauté and stir in cayenne. Cook for another minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

5 Crumble boiled potatoes into a mixing bowl. Stir in peas and spice mixture. Season to taste. Add cilantro and mix well. The filling should be lumpy.

6 To assemble samosas, make a paste with flour and water, fill each wrapper with potato mixture.

7 Deep fry until golden brown. Serve hot.

Tips

1 The consistency of the paste should be thick and not runny. This consistency is needed to hold the dough together and prevent the filling from oozing out.

2 Ensure that the temperature of the oil is not too hot as frying the samosas too fast will result in the dough not being fully cooked. Special thanks to University of Technology for allowing TEENChef to use the labs ofthe School of Hospitality andTourism Management.