For the crust:

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

Ice water

Vegetable oil for deep frying

For the filling:

1¼ pounds russet potatoes, peeled

1 tablespoon ghee (see note) or oil

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon chili powder

¼ pound sweet peas, thawed if frozen

1 teaspoon salt

2 jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons chopped mint

Lemon juice to taste

• To make the pastry crust: In a large bowl, sift together the flour and the salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture.

• Add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a firm dough is achieved. You will probably use 5 to 6 tablespoons of water total. Knead the dough for approximately 5 minutes or until it is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set it aside while making the potato filling.

• To make the filling: Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until quite tender. Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool until they are easy to handle. Cut them into a small dice; set aside.

• In a large skillet, heat the ghee over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and sauté until the seeds begin to pop. Stir in the turmeric and the chili powder; cook for 15 seconds. Stir in the potatoes, peas, salt, and jalapeño slices. (It is okay if the potatoes and the peas get a little smashed.) Remove from heat, stir in the mint and lemon juice to taste, and set aside.

• Roll the pastry until it is quite thin (⅛-inch thick). Cut approximately ten 6-inch circles from the dough. Cut each circle in half. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each half circle. Dampen the edges of the dough with cold water, fold the dough over on itself to form a triangle, and seal firmly.

• To fry, add approximately 3 inches of vegetable oil to a large saucepan. Heat the oil over high heat until very hot, but not smoking. Add the samosas to the hot oil a few at a time and deep-fry until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the samosas to a stack of paper towels to drain.

• Serve the samosas with Tamarind Dipping Sauce (see recipe on page 274).

Ghee

Ghee is another name for clarified butter. It is simple to make. Simply melt a quantity of unsalted butter in a heavy saucepan. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the solid milk particles rise to the top and begin to brown. Remove the butter from the heat and strain it through cheesecloth. Ghee may be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week in an airtight container.