Beef Samosas

Let's be honest, beef samosas are the best out of all the different filling combinations you could possibly stuff inside those crispy, deep-fried triangular bites of goodness. You're going to love the filling: ground beef and onions cooked in deliciously tangy pomegranate molasses; my family is obsessed with them and we always fight over the last beef samosa. I always like to use ready-made samosa wrappers, so this is more of a breakdown on how to fill and wrap samosas in the quickest and easiest way possible. I've seen a couple of different ways to wrap them, but over the years this technique is what I found best.

The beef filling for these samosas is SO simple, and if you make extra, you can have it with rice, hummus, or bread. I always make double and save some to have with another side dish.

Ingredients You'll Need

• Samosa Wrappers: You'll find these thin sheets of phyllo dough in the frozen section of your local supermarket. They come in different shapes and sizes, and I usually like to use thin long strips because they're the easiest to shape. If you can't find them anywhere, you can use spring roll wrappers instead and cut them into strips.
• Ground Beef: You'll need ground beef (I like to grind mine myself so I'm in full control of how much fat goes into it) and I prefer a slightly fattier ground beef for samosas just to make sure they don't go dry. You can also use ground lamb instead.
• Onion: I personally like to use red onions with lamb or beef, but you can use any type of onions you like.
• Pomegranate molasses: An essential when it comes. to Syrian, Palestinian, and Lebanese cooking. You can find this ingredient at your local Arab market, or you can make your own with just 3 ingredients.
• 7 Spices: My favorite spice mix to use in almost all my favorite dishes. This mix will defer depending on where you're from, and depending on what brand you buy or whether you make it yourself. Find the mix you like and stick to it.
• Black Pepper: I like to use freshly ground black pepper.
• Salt: Add salt to taste.
• Oil: You'll need any type of oil with a high smoke point. Some options are canola oil, vegetable oil, and frying oil.

You Will Also Need:

• Deep frying pan
• Slotted spoon or frying spatula
• Paper towels

How To Fold A Samosa

1. Lay your samosa wrapper flat out in front of you, vertically.
2. Place around a teaspoon and a half, depending on the size of your wrappers, of the beef filling at the end of the wrapper (the end that's closest to you)
3. Fold the wrapper upwards onto the filling so it forms a triangle shape.
4. Fold again, keeping it in a triangle shape, and repeat until you reach the end of the wrapper.
5. Dip your finger into warm water, wet the end of the wrapper, and seal the samosa.

Tips And Tricks

• Set up your work station. I find that the samosa-making process goes much smoother and faster when I have all my ingredients and tools set up before I start working on them.
• Keep the samosa wrappers covered. To make sure they don't dry out and start breaking apart, cover the wrappers with a towel or keep them in an airtight container while you work. This will keep them moist, flexible, and easy to fold.
• Don't overfill your samosas. You don't want your samosas to bulge up like little balloons or explode when they hit the hot frying oil. So only fill until they're slightly stuffed.
• Seal samosas with warm water. Have a bowl of warm water to dip your fingers in when you're on the last fold. Wet the end of the samosa wrapper and press it in onto your wrapped samosa. Make sure it's sealed properly so it doesn't unwrap when you start frying.
• Place the samosas on a paper towel after frying. I never skip this step, because the paper towels absorb any excess oil. This makes sure your samosas stay crispy and fresh, and avoid getting soggy.
• Serve immediately. These don't usually reheat well, so fry right before serving. You can make them in advance and store them in the fridge overnight, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Can You Freeze Samosas?

Yes, you can fill, wrap, and freeze beef samosas for up to 3 months. Don't fry them, just place them in layers on top of each other with parchment paper in between each layer. Then seal in an airtight container or freezer bag.

When you want to serve them, just thaw them out and fry. And that's it!

Other Appetizer Ideas

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