This Sweet Potato Samosa recipe is a delicious festive starter and has been shared with Ecophiles by James Beard award-winning Chef Vikram Sunderam of Rasika West End in Washington. At the trendy restaurant that has reinvented authentic Indian cooking by serving it with modern flair, this samosa recipe featuring ginger, green chilli and cranberry chutney, enjoys huge popularity.
Rasika in Sanskrit means “flavours” and this dish certainly has its fair share! Chef Vikram Sunderam says, “These samosas are easy to make. Also they are made with ingredients popular during the holiday season. Perfect for passing around during parties.”
SWEET POTATO SAMOSA RECIPE
(makes 8)
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
¼ cup canola oil, plus 6 cups for frying
1 green onion, green parts only, cut into lengthwise ½ inch strips
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh Thai green chili
½ teaspoon chaat masala
¼ teaspoon deggi mirch
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
8 spring roll wrappers (6 by 6 inch)
½ cup Cranberry Chutney
METHOD
Have ready a bowl of ice water. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Dip the scallion strips in the boiling water, and then transfer them to the ice water. Drain them and blot them dry on paper towels. You will use these “strings” to tie the bundles.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Line a small baking sheet with foil or parchment. Coat the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of oil and spread them on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, until soft. Remove the pan from the oven and mash the potatoes with a potato masher.
In a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil until it shimmers. Add the ginger, Thai green chili, chaat masala, deggi mirch, and salt, stirring to combine. Sauté for 1 minute and mix in the mashed sweet potatoes and lemon juice. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let the filling cool.
Lay the spring roll wrappers on the counter. Place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each. Join two opposite corners, then the other two to create a bundle and hold it together by tying a scallion string around it with a double knot.
To fry the bundles, line a plate with paper towels. In a wok or deep fat fryer, heat 6 cups of oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the samosas until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn them constantly with a Japanese strainer or skimmer so they brown evenly. Transfer to paper towels to blot them and serve with Cranberry Chutney.
CRANBERRY CHUTNEY RECIPE
1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 ½ cup white grape juice
4 ounces jaggery
1 medium fresh Thai green chili, stem removed, halve lengthwise
1 dried Indian bay leaf, torn into pieces
5 whole green cardamom pods
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
5 whole cloves
Peeled zest (orange part only) from half an orange
¼ teaspoon salt
After the samosa recipe, here’s the secret to making the best cranberry chutney:
Place the cranberries, grape juice and jaggery in a small saucepan. In a 6-inch square of cheesecloth, use kitchen twine to tie up the Thai green chili halves, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and orange zest and add the sachet to the pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Lower the heat to medium and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick. Discard the sachet. Stir in the salt. Cook completely and refrigerate in an airtight container (or containers) for up to one week or freeze for up to three months.
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