Sambosas are popular Afghan appetizers that are triangular puff pastries stuffed with spiced ground meat and peas and baked to flaky golden turnovers. This Afghan sambosa recipe makes 6 puff pastry and is great served as a snack with chai or as an appetizer with yoghurt mint dip. You know my choice - chai.
Nobody can resist this perfect flaky pastry, stuffed with flavour-packed spiced meat and peas filling! Serve with chai or with yoghurt mint dip.
Did you know Samosa has its origin in Central Asia? And what a journey to land across the Asian countries adapting the local flavours! It is a universal truth that no two samosa recipes are the same. But this Afghan Samosa recipe has my heart and I have already made it a few times now.
I came across this Sambosa recipe in Afghan Cook Book during Ramadan and made an entire batch of the filling. You will be surprised that the recipe uses spices that are common in an Indian kitchen, so the flavours are familiar. I used some of the fillings in store-bought puff pastry squares as per the recipe and for the rest, I used the usual samosa wraps. They were great on both and I am sure you can use this filling in wanton wraps too!
Ingredients used
- Oil: Use olive oil or any cooking oil
- Veggies: I used red onion, frozen green peas and fresh coriander leaves.
- Ground spices: cumin powder, turmeric powder and chilli flakes
- Meat: I have tried with both minced beef and minced lamb. You can even use a mix of both.
- puff pastry squares: I have used store-bought frozen puff pastry. I always go with Switz or Sunbullah brand.
- egg: for egg wash.
- Seeds: sesame seeds and nigella seeds or black sesame seeds
How to prepare the sambosa filling?
Saute the chopped onion in some hot oil and add cumin powder, turmeric powder, and chilli flakes and cook until the onion is translucent.
Add the minced meat and saute until browned and cooked through and all moisture is evaporated.
Add the thawed green peas with salt to taste and saute until cooked.
Switch off and stir in the reserved chopped onions and fresh coriander leaves. Transfer the meat filling into a bowl and keep it aside to cool before you can use it.
How to stuff puff pastry for Afghan sambosa?
This is a baked samosa recipe using puff pastry. I loved the idea of using puff pastry and made it again a few weeks ago using just enough meat for the two of us. Traditionally, this is served with mint yoghurt dip which we skipped the second time because I made these for tea time! One of my biggest pet peeves is miserly stuffed samosas or parathas! So, I figured out a way to stuff more filling in a puff pastry so the meat lovers are pleased! Check out my step-by-step pictures on how to make super stuffed Afghan Sambosas filled with meat and peas.
Make sure the frozen puff pastry sqaures are thawed before using.
Take one puff pastry square and fold it to form a triangle.
Seal the side of two corners and use the remaining side opening to fill.
Fill with the prepared and cooled meat mixture.
Fill as much as you can stuff.
Seal all sides either by the twist method or with a fork.
Pinch the dough to extend then turn in while pulling out more for the next turn until you reach the other end.
Brush whisked egg or yolk and milk. Sprinkle the top with black seeds and sesame seeds.
Bake the stuffed puff pastries in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.
Baked Afghan sambosa ready to serve.
If you have excess puff pastry squares, you should try my spicy Egg Puffs recipe!
📖 Recipe
Afghan Sambosa with Meat and Peas
Ingredients
For the meat filling
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small onion finely diced
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 250 grams ground beef or lamb
- ¼ cup frozen or boiled green peas thawed
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves chopped
For the sambosa
- 6 puff pastry squares thawed
- 1 small egg for egg wash
- sesame seeds to sprinkle on top
- nigella seeds
Instructions
Prepare the minced meat filling
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan like a cast iron over medium heat. Saute the chopped onion (reserve a tablespoon to add in the end), cumin powder, turmeric powder, and chilli flakes and cook until the onion is translucent.
- Next, add the minced meat and saute until all of the meat is browned and cooked through. Make sure to break the meat clumps as you saute so that they are cooked evenly without any traces of raw red meat. Saute on high heat until all of the moisture is evaporated.
- Now, add the thawed green peas along with salt to taste and saute until the peas are cooked. Taste and adjust the salt and spices as per your taste.
- Switch off and stir in the reserved chopped onions and fresh coriander leaves. Transfer the meat filling into a bowl and keep it aside to cool before you can use it.
Prepare the puff pastry parcels
- Preheat the oven to 180c. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Take one puff pastry square and fold it to form a triangle. Seal the side of two corners and use the remaining side opening to fill as much as you can stuff with the meat mixture. Seal all sides either by the twist method or with a fork. (See pictures)
- For the twist design, pinch the dough to extend then turn in while pulling out more for the next turn until you reach the other end. For the fork method, just use the fork to seal the edges while making the line marks.
Egg wash and topping
- Brush the outside of each stuffed puff pastry with the whisked egg or a mix of yolk and milk.
- Sprinkle the top with black seeds and sesame seeds.
Bake and serve
- Place the stuffed meat samosas at least 2 inches apart from each. Bake the stuffed puff pastries in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.
- Serve with tea or coffee or you may choose to serve with mint yoghurt dip.
Notes
- You can safely double the recipe if you want to serve a crowd.
- You may use samosa wraps instead of puff pastry.
- You may use the filling to make a version of Keema Paratha.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!