MANGSHOR SHINGARA / MUTTON SAMOSA

Samosa / Shingara is an extremely popular evening tea-time snacks.. Though my memories gives another picture. In my humble place, early morning in all the sweet shops....one can see in big woks, frying samosas.....oops the sight is as soothing as humans swimming in a pool of water during summer. I am not a poet, a foodie....could not think beyond this. 

To compliment these samosas there has to be jalebis coated in sugar syrup, slurp ..... is possibly the only sound that comes out wholeheartedly..... Saturdays and Sundays there would be a beeline in front of these shops. With a satisfied smile back home these would be finished in minutes with hot tea.

Our mother / parents seldom allowed us buy food from outside. She loved doing them at home. I have picked up this habit from her, thank her for that. Preparing something with our own hands expresses our love, care for people who mean to us. Again if you do not take interest in cooking does not make you care less for your family. I believe each one of us do it in one way or the other. 

I remember I first learnt making Chapatis, Pooris after my son started going to school as I vowed I will never pack his lunch box with store bought things. My naughty witty husband reminds me often it is for son he gets to have home made chapatis in a foreign land forgetting its for him I learnt rest of cooking. Jokes apart, he was guinea pig for all my experimental cooking. Had he being little critical, I would become a better cook.

Back to track, our mother used to make shingara with fillings as per season. Like in winters, she would make samosas with cauliflower, potato, green peas fillings. In those days, cauliflowers, green peas tasted heavenly, grown without those strong fertilisers used nowadays. Being a strict non-vegeterian, I made a variation, prepared these minced mutton samosas which is common in our place, even at the Indian stores here in the island, we get it. 

If you are not fond of mutton, you can use minced chicken. I actually tasted mangshor shingara first at the club canteen of Gun & Shell Factory, our school was also a part of their educational venture.

An honest confession, my samosa cones are not as perfect as the store ones or like my cooking expert friends, but its not a compromise with the taste and it's crispiness , that I can assure.

INGREDIENTS :[ for the filling ]

Minced Mutton : 400 gm
Potato : 1 big
Minced Garlic : 2 tbsp
Minced Ginger : 1 tbsp
Onion : 1 big
Minced Green Chilli : 1 tbsp [adjust as per your requirement]
Green Peas : 50 gm
Cumin Seeds : 1tsp
Coriander Seeds : 1 tsp
Dry Red Chilli : 2
Green Cardamom : 2
Cloves : 3
Cinnamon : 1 one  inch stick
Oil : 3 tbsp
Salt : As per taste
Turmeric Powder : 1 tsp

 INGREDIENTS : [ for the dough ]

Refined Flour : 2 coffee mugs
Salt : 1/4 tsp
Ghee[clarified butter] : 2 tbsp
Nigella Seeds : 1tsp[optional]
Water : 1 small cup.

INGREDIENTS : [for the mutton samosa]

The Filling

The Dough

Oil to deep fry

METHOD :

Take flour in wide mouthed vessel. Make hole in middle with your finger. Add ghee, salt. Add nigella seeds.

Mix with flour for about 2 minutes. Now add water little at a time. Knead onto a smooth dough.

Cover the dough with a wet  cloth for about 1/2 an hour.

Wash minced mutton taken in a strainer. Transfer to a bowl. Marinate with lemon juice, salt, turmeric powder for about an hour. If you are using minced chicken, no need to marinate.  

Dry roast cumin seeds, dry red chillies, cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds together, powder in a blender. Powder needs to be a little coarse. Wash, peel, cut potato into small pieces. Thinly slice onion, wash.

Heat oil in wok. Add minced garlic, ginger. Fry for a minute.

Add sliced onion, minced green chillies. After frying for 2-3 minutes, add minced mutton along with marinade. Stir well, cover. Lower heat to minimum. 

After 10-12 minutes, remove cover, add potato pieces, turmeric powder, salt as required. Cover again.  

After 5 minutes, add green peas. Stir every 3 minutes to avoid burning from bottom. Do this until mutton is about to dry.

At this level, use your ladle to mash potato pieces. Add sugar, dry roasted spice powder. Mix well, switch off gas stove. Transfer into a bowl, let it cool.

Now remove cover from dough. Use your palm once again over dough which is good exercise. Make balls, dust lighty with flour. Do dusting only if it is required.

With rolling pin make round shapes, little bigger than pooris.  Cut half from middle.

Shape into cone. Add filling carefully with a spoon.

Seal edges nicely so that they do not open while frying.

Heat oil in wok . Fry in batches. The wok should not be overcrowded with samosas. Whenever wok is too heated up, keep the gas mark at low.

Once done, transfer onto a double layer of tissue papers.

For Coriander Chutney, blend some pre washed, freshly chopped coriander leaves, a clove of garlic, two green chillies together to a paste. Add salt, lemon juice, serve.

As any other snacks, we will have it hot, fresh with our preferred chutney or sauce!