Crispy Keema Samosa Recipe (Easy Folding!)

Flavorful, extra crispy, non-frustrating Samosas. Yes, you can! The only tricky thing about making Keema Samosas is learning how to fold the pastry sheet. This recipe breaks it down with an EASY, fuss-free folding method that requires no precise cutting - complete with a step-by-step video walk-through.

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Meal Type: Breakfast

Cuisine: Indian

Difficulty: MEDIUM

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 25 servings

Calories: 61 kcal per serving

Ingredients

1 12- oz package - spring roll pastry sheets
2 tablespoon - neutral oil
1 teaspoon - cumin seeds
1 pound - ground beef
5–6 clove - garlic
1- inch piece - ginger
1 ½ teaspoon - coriander powder
1 teaspoon - red chili flakes
¾ teaspoon - red chili powder
½ teaspoon - garam masala
¼ teaspoon - black pepper
1 ½ teaspoon - kosher salt
1 - yellow onion
2 - Indian finger chilies (less spicy) or Serrano peppers
2–3 - green onions
½ cup - cilantro
1 - egg
⅓ cup - all-purpose flour
¼ cup - water

Instructions

Prepare the Filling: Heat oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Add the ground beef and sauté until the color changes from pink to brown, about 3 minutes. Use a wooden spoon or potato masher to break up the meat as needed (Note 2). If it starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, deglaze with 2-3 tbsp water.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until aromatic. Add the spices and salt and continue sautéing (bhunai) for 2 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup water and bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and allow to cook for 7-10 minutes, until the meat is tender and most of the liquid has absorbed.
Uncover and increase the heat. Sauté until the water evaporates and the beef begins sticking to the bottom, another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and allow it to cool while you prepare the vegetables. (Allowing it to cool helps ensure the vegetables stay crunchy in the samosas.)
Add the onions, green chili, green onions, and cilantro to the cooled keema mixture and mix well.
Prepare the Binder: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, flour, and water to form a smooth, pancake batter-like paste. Place it on your work surface.
Assemble the Samosas (Method 1 Video Walk-Through - See Note 3): Lay one pastry sheet in square shape on your work surface, keeping the remaining covered with a damp paper towel or cloth. Fold the bottom right corner over to the top left corner to form a triangle. Press gently to secure the shape.
Fold the bottom left corner of the triangle upward, dragging it further (about 1.5”) above the top line so that it’s about the same height as the top left corner. Gently press the fold to keep it in place.
Brush the bottom edge of the new triangle with egg binder.
Next, lift the right edge and fold it over, aligning it with the egg binder line to create a snug triangular pocket. Press gently to secure the egg binder.
Now you have a cone-shaped triangle with 3 flaps. Lift it in one hand like you’re holding an ice cream cone so that the longest flap is toward the back, and the two remaining ones face you. Add 2 tbsp (~20g-25g) filling in the middle. You want to make sure you fill the filling in the place where it doesn’t have the folding glue/binder. (See video)
Snugly fold the 2 flappy edges in so they form a parcel shaped like an ice cream cone. Try to keep the edges as neat as possible as they'll ultimately affect the neatness of the samosa.
Brush the top triangle all over with binder and fold down to form a complete samosa. (See video on how to roll the samosa tightly back.) Make sure all corners are sealed. If not, pinch to seal with the binder. Keep the samosa covered under a damp cloth or paper towel while you proceed with the remaining samosas. You can also fold all the samosas, then fill before frying.
Fry the Samosa: Pour oil into a large frying pan so that it's about 1.5-2”/4-5 cm deep. It should be deep enough so that the samosas don't stick to the bottom. Heat the oil to med-high heat (360-380°F/180°-190°C), and adjust heat level as needed to maintain this heat. Add 5-6 samosas to the oil, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Fry for 4-5 minutes, turning frequently for even browning. If the oil is too hot (over 380°F), samosas will darken too quickly, they’ll puff immediately and get soggy later more easily. If the oil is too cold (less than 330°F), they’ll get extra oily. Maintain medium-high heat for the best results. Once golden brown and crispy, remove and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with mint chutney, imli chutney, or mint raita.

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