Summary of "Samosa Hand Pies Better Than Fried!"

Samosa Hand Pies (baked, not fried)

Presenter: Rick (YouTube)

Ghee — about 1 heaped tablespoon for frying spices (neutral oil can be substituted)
Cumin seeds — a small pinch
Onion — sliced/chopped and cooked until soft
Garlic — ~1 teaspoon grated (or from garlic‑ginger paste)
Ginger — ~1 teaspoon grated (or from garlic‑ginger paste)
Green chili — optional, to taste
Turmeric — to taste
Coriander powder — to taste
Garam masala — to taste
Kashmiri chili powder — for color (milder); regular chili powder can be used instead
Frozen peas — a handful
Mashed potatoes — main bulk of filling (recipe scaled for ~8 hand pies)
Fresh coriander (cilantro) — chopped, folded into mashed potato
Lemon juice — to taste (optional; alternatively use amchur powder — do not use both)
Salt — to taste
Ready‑rolled puff pastry — cut into squares (~4.5 in each, or size you prefer)
Egg wash — for brushing
Toppings (choose): kalonji/nigella seeds (recommended), black sesame, regular sesame, poppy seeds

Preheat oven to ~190–200°C and line a baking tray.
Heat ghee (or oil) in a pan; add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
Add chopped onion and cook gently until soft (avoid browning).
Add garlic and ginger (about 1 tsp each, or garlic‑ginger paste) and cook briefly to remove rawness.
Lower heat and add spices: turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala, and Kashmiri chili (or regular chili). Bloom briefly in the fat until aromatic.
Stir in frozen peas (they will finish cooking in the oven).
Add mashed potatoes and chopped fresh coriander; mix thoroughly.
Taste and adjust seasoning: add salt and a squeeze of lemon juice (or a pinch of amchur).
Lay out puff pastry squares (~4.5 in). Place a heaped tablespoon of potato filling in the center of each square.
Fold pastry over the filling to form a hand pie (triangle/half‑square), press edges and crimp with a fork or by hand to seal. A little escaping filling is fine.
Brush each pie with egg wash and sprinkle seeds.
Bake for about 18–22 minutes, until puff pastry is golden and crisp.
Let cool briefly (a minute or two) — filling will be hot/steamy — then serve.

Tip: Do not use both lemon juice and amchur together — choose one. Egg wash helps give color and makes seeds stick.

Use ghee for authentic flavor; oil is an acceptable substitute.
Ready‑rolled puff pastry keeps this quick — no homemade pastry required.
Cook onions until soft rather than browned for a better filling texture.
Bloom spices in fat for enhanced flavor.
Kashmiri chili powder gives color with mild heat; use regular chili powder for more spice.
Overfilled pies may burst — mashed potato won’t run like a liquid and any escaped filling can be spooned back in.
Crimp edges well to seal.
Allow a short cool‑down before serving to avoid burning from hot filling.

Fry instead of bake (filling is the same as traditional samosas).
Swap ghee for oil if preferred.
Seed options: kalonji/nigella, black sesame, regular sesame, poppy.
Use Kashmiri chili for milder heat and color, or regular chili powder for spicier result.
Use either lemon juice or amchur powder for acidity — not both.