Green Garlic is an underrated allium and one of my favorites. They come out in the spring time and last for 2 to 3 months, at the farmer’s market. I grew up eating green garlic a lot, in the most iconic famous Gujarati dish – Undhiyoo.
HOW TO GROW GREEN GARLIC?
I love using green garlic in so many ways. I make pesto, I use it in theplas, or to make rotis, I love using it along with gnocchi, really anything that has garlic can have green garlic and it really takes the dish to a new level.
A good friend of mine told me that I could grow green garlic in my backyard! So I planted garlic sometime mid January this year. In 6 weeks, the stalks were growing pretty well and I could use them in my cooking in about 8 weeks! The fragrance is simply intoxicating! There is something about garlic and green garlic that simply captivates me! I am going to see how long I can grow the green garlic.
MATAR(GREEN PEAS) KACHORI:
Matar or green peas Kachori is a very famous Gujarati snack or appetizer. It is made with a green pea filling that is stuffed into a dough, and then formed into a ball, before it gets fried. Different homes have their own specific recipes on how they make these kachoris. Some families use green peas only, some use green peas and lentils to make the kachori. Some use coconut in the green pea mixture to make the kachoris.
My Ba’s recipe for the Gujarati Samosas with Green Peas and Green Garlic
My grandma or Ba or Nani (maternal grandmother), makes these Gujarati samosas, which are not 3-dimensional like Punjabi samosas, but they are triangle flattened versions of samosas. That is how the Gujaratis make it. She makes a potato and pea filling which is slightly different from the Punjabi filling, and is not as spicy as the Punjabi samosas.
She also makes Gujarati Samosa with the matar kachori filling. The filling is really delicious and is influenced by African culture, since she spent a vast amount of years living in Uganda.
On my visits to the UK, where Ba resides, I have seen her make them with such ease even at her age. My masis or aunts (mom’s sisters) help her and they assemble nearly 100 samosas in one sitting! Chatting, drinking chai in the middle, and just getting it done for the entire family gathering. It is fun to watch them go at it.
One of my aunts has become gluten-free for health reasons, and she makes a gluten-free dough with farali flour, which you get at the Indian grocery stores. She makes the dough with this flour and makes kachoris, but in ghugra form, that is – it’s a stuffed crescent moon. She does not fry it, rather she shallow fries it on the pan – thus making a healthier version of the famous Matar Kachori.
Difference between Gujarati samosas and Punjabi samosas
Gujarati samosas are flat triangles that are slightly stuffed, to make a triangular pillow. The filling consists of potatoes, peas, carrots, a bit of spices like cumin seeds, garam masala, some fennel seeds, and alliums like garlic, ginger.
Punjabi samosas on the other hand are only potato and peas, with garam masala, spicy green chillies, fennel seeds etc. They are also shaped differently. They are 3D triangles in shape and are meatier and bigger than the Gujarati samosas. Gujarati samosas also have a thinner layer of the roti as opposed to the Punjabi samosas which have a thicker outer layer.
Filling for the Gujarati Samosas with Green Peas and Green Garlic
The filling has the following ingredients:
- Green Peas
- Fresh Coconut
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Green Chillies
- Lemon Juice
- Garam Masala
- Cilantro
- Sugar
- Salt
Process of making the filling
Coarsely grind the fresh in-season green peas, ginger and green chillies, in a food processor. Food processor works best, rather than a high speed blender, because of the coarseness that you get from the food processor. You do not want to puree the mixture. You want a bite, when you bite into the samosa.
The spices are garam masala, cumin seeds and hing. Coconut and sugar add a subtle sweetness to the mixture. Lemon juice adds a bit of a tang, and green garlic and cilantro adds freshness to the filling. The filling needs to be cooled before it can be filled in the samosas.
Outer Roti Layer for the Gujarati Samosas with Green Peas and Green Garlic
I use a mixture of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour to make the outer layer. The dough binds well. Carom seeds are added because whenever samosas are fried, carom seeds help with digestion of the food. The rotis are made to about 5 to 6 inch diameter, and half cooked on the stove, on a pan. They are cut into semi circles, folded and filled with the filling.
How to store the unfried Gujarati Samosas with Green Peas and Green Garlic
I usually fold all the samosas, and keep it on a plate. They can be frozen at this point, by putting it in a ziplock bag, for up to a month. When you want to fry them, simply thaw them in the fridge, until they are soft to the touch (usually takes about a day) and then fry them.
You can also keep it in the fridge, in a closed container, for upto 2 days before frying them.
What kind of food processor do you use for the filling?
I have the old model but I use the Cuisinart food processor linked here.
What are the best ways to eat the Gujarati Samosas with Green Peas and Green Garlic?
- Eat them with Ketchup
- Date Tamarind Chutney and Cilantro Mint Chutney.
- Eat it as a samosa chaat with the samosas on the plate, along with chole on the top, drizzled with the data tamarind chutney and cilantro mint chutney, sev, red onions and cilantro!
- Or make a samosa pav with some dried garlic chutney
How long can the samosas be stored?
- They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for upto 2 days for maximum freshness. To reheat them, place it in the toaster oven and bake for 5 to 7 minutes at 350 degrees, to warm/crisp them up again.
The unfried samosas can also be frozen for a month.
Other fun appetizer recipes on my blog are:
Hope you enjoyed this blog post. For more delicious videos for this recipe, please visit my Instagram page.
XO
Amisha
Gujarati Samosas with Green Peas and Green Garlic
Samosa Dough
- 120 grams all purpose flour
- 100 grams whole wheat flour or atta
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon carom seeds
- 1/2 cup water
Masala Spring Pea and Green Garlic Filling:
- 400 grams green peas, fresh or frozen
- 2 green chillies
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- A pinch of asafoetida(hing – optional)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons toasted fennel seeds, coarsely crushed
- 3 tablespoons green garlic
- 1/3 cup fresh or frozen coconut
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup cashew nuts coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
Glue:
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon water
- Extra flour for rolling the dough
- Marble board(chakla)
- Rolling pin
- Oil for frying
Get Recipe Ingredients
Samosa Dough:
- Mix together the flours, salt and carom seeds, and whisk to combine.
- Add vegetable oil and mix with your bare hands to combine.
- Add the water slowly and start mixing with your hands to bind the dough. Keep kneading the dough and collect all the dry pieces till the dough is properly combined. Knead for atleast 3 to 4 minutes. The dough should be smooth and when you poke it with a finger, it should bounce back up slowly.
- Take a paper towel, wet it, squeeze out the water and place it on the dough to keep it hydrated. Keep it aside for half an hour. Meanwhile, make the masala matar filling.
Masala Matar Masala Spring Pea and Green Garlic Filling:
- Add the green peas, ginger, green chilli, green garlic in a food processor and make a coarse mixture. You want some texture so do not grind it all the way to make a paste.
- In a large skillet, on medium heat, add the vegetable oil. Let the oil heat up for 30 seconds. Then add the cumin seeds, asafoetida and let it crackle, about 20 seconds.
- Add the green pea mixture into the pan and saute for 2 minutes. You want to remove a bit of moisture from the mixture.
- Add all the dry spices like garam masala, salt, sugar and coarsely crushed fennel seeds and saute for another 5 to 7 minutes.
- Finally add the lemon juice, coconut and cashew nuts and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the cilantro and saute.
- Remove from the heat. Let the mixture cool completely for about an hour.
Make the outer cover:
- Divide the dough into 13 equal pieces, each weighing about 27 grams. Take each piece, and put in your palm and round up each ball, and flatten it between the palm of your hands.
- Using a rolling pin and a marble board(or chakla), dip each flattened dough into extra flour, and roll out the dough into a flat roti, as thin as possible. The diameter should be around 5 ½ to 6 inches.
- On a flat griddle, on the stove, at medium to high heat, put the roti on the pan. Cook it for a minute, until you see tiny bubbles on the top. Turn the roti to the other side with a spatula, to cook the other side for 30 seconds or so. Remove on a plate, on the side.
- Repeat the rolling and cooking, for the remaining rotis and set it aside.
Glue:
- Mix the all purpose flour and water to combine until it is smooth. If it is too thick add ½ tablespoon more of water and mix. It should be a glue-like consistency.
Samosa Assembly:
- Cut each roti into half. Hold the semi circle with the flat side on the top. Place a finger in the middle of the curve at the bottom. Take the left corner and form a cone, such that the 2 corners overlap, and the bottom is pointed, yet sealed. Put the glue on the outer rim of the left hand side of the roti, and seal it to the other side. It should form a nice pocket with 2 pointed ears. Using a teaspoon, add 2 heaped teaspoons worth of filling into the pocket. Poke it such that the filling reaches the tip end as well. Using the glue, put it on the 2 corner ears and seal it over the flat roti very neatly such that all the 3 corners are sealed.
- Repeat the same procedure with the other 25 semi circles and form flattened samosas.
Frying:
- In a deep frying pan, add about 3 inches of vegetable oil, on medium to high heat for frying. It will take about 5 to 7 minutes for the oil to come to a temperature of 350 degrees F, which is frying temperature. Keep a plate with parchment paper on the side, to drain off excess oil.
- Add 3 samosas at a time and fry them for a minute or so on one side. Using a spider tool, turn the samosa and fry it on the other side for 30 seconds or so. It should be evenly browned. Remove and place it on the plate. Repeat for all the samosas.
- They are best eaten fresh, on the same day.
- They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for upto 2 days for maximum freshness. To re-heat them, place it in the toaster oven and bake for 5 to 7 minutes at 350 degrees, to warm/crisp them up again.
Notes
Frequently asked questions
What kind of food processor do you use for the filling?
I have the old model but I use the Cuisinart food processor linked here.
What are the best ways to eat the Gujarati Samosas with Green Peas and Green Garlic?
- Eat them with Ketchup
- Date Tamarind Chutney and Cilantro Mint Chutney.
- Eat it as a samosa chaat with the samosas on the plate, along with chole on the top, drizzled with the data tamarind chutney and cilantro mint chutney, sev, red onions and cilantro!
- Or make a samosa pav with some dried garlic chutney
How long can the samosas be stored?
- They can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for upto 2 days for maximum freshness. To reheat them, place it in the toaster oven and bake for 5 to 7 minutes at 350 degrees, to warm/crisp them up again.
The unfried samosas can also be frozen for a month.
