How to Fold Samosa – Samosa Folding Technique
How to fold samosa sheets neatly took me a few lopsided batches to get right. My early ones with ready-made samosa patti came out in every shape except a triangle, and they still tasted good. Then I learned the fold I have used ever since. It is below in step photos and in a video that more than 940,000 people have watched on YouTube.
- Sheet. One rectangular samosa sheet (samosa patti) makes one samosa. No cutting.
- Fold. Fold one end into a triangle twice to make a cone, fill it, then wrap the rest of the strip around it.
- Seal. Stick the last flap down with a paste of 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1/5 cup water.
- Filling. Cold, and 1 heaped tablespoon per samosa.
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Folding takes three things and a damp cloth.
- Samosa sheets (samosa patti). Thin rectangular pastry strips, sold frozen at Indian, Pakistani and Middle Eastern grocery stores. I use Switz, which is also sold in the UK. Thaw them before you start.
- No samosa sheets? Spring roll pastry cut into three equal strips folds the same way.
- Flour paste. 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour stirred into 1/5 cup water (a little over 3 tablespoons). This is the glue.
- Filling. Any filling works if it is completely cool. My potato filling is in the samosa recipe with samosa sheets.
- Equipment. A damp kitchen towel to cover the sheets. For cooking, a carbon steel wok for deep frying or a Philips air fryer.
How to Fold Samosa Sheets Step by Step
Lay one sheet flat on a dry board and keep the rest under a damp cloth. Steps 1 to 4 are in the first set of photos, steps 5 and 6 in the second.
1. Fold the first corner. Lift one corner of a short end and fold it across to the opposite long edge. The end of the strip is now a triangle.
2. Fold the triangle over. Fold that triangle over once more along the strip. You have a layered triangle with an opening on one side and a long tail of pastry.
3. Open the cone. Pick it up and slide your fingers into the opening. Pinch the point at the bottom tight, so there is no gap for the filling to slip through.
4. Fill it. Spoon in 1 heaped tablespoon of cold filling. Stop below the rim so the cone can close.
5. Wrap the tail around. Lay the cone down and fold the tail over the open side. Keep following the triangle shape until only a short flap is left.
6. Paste and seal. Spread flour paste on the flap, fold it down, and press along the edge and into the corners. Keep the folded samosas covered while you finish the rest.
Samosa Folding Video
The whole samosa folding technique in real time, in 4 minutes 34 seconds.
Rekha’s Note
The sheets dry out faster than you expect, and a dry sheet cracks at the fold. I take out only what I need and keep the rest wrapped in a damp cloth. The wrapper is the same however you cook it. What changes the numbers is the oil, so baked or air fried samosas are the lighter choice.
Rekha
Samosa Shapes: Which Fold for Which Wrapper
The cone fold above is for ready-made strips. Other wrappers need a different start.
| Wrapper | Before You Fold | Fold | Shape |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samosa sheets (samosa patti) | Use the strip whole | Cone fold, steps 1 to 6 | Flat triangle |
| Spring roll pastry | Cut into 3 equal strips | Same cone fold | Flat triangle |
| Filo (phyllo) pastry | Cut into strips and stack two | Filling on one end, then fold corner to corner along the strip | Flat triangle |
| Homemade samosa dough, rolled into a round | Cut the round in half | Roll the half circle into a cone, fill, pinch shut | Plump cone, the Punjabi samosa shape |
- Sheets cracking? They have dried out. Take out only what you need and wrap the rest in a damp cloth.
- A hole at the bottom corner? The first fold was loose. Pinch the point of the cone tight before you fill it.
- Opening in the oil? The flap needs more paste, pressed down right into the corners.
- Bursting or soggy? The filling was warm, wet or too much. Use it cold and leave room to close the cone.
How to Cook Folded Samosas
- Deep fry. Medium heat, so the pastry cooks through and stays crisp. The full method is in the Punjabi samosa with samosa patti.
- Bake. Brush with a little oil first. Oven temperature and timing are in my baked samosa recipe.
- Air fry. A single layer in the basket, turned halfway. Settings are in the air fryer samosa recipe.
Serve It With
- Cilantro and mint chutney, the green one in the photo above.
- Tamarind chutney for the sweet and tangy side.
- Chole for tikki and samosa, spooned over a broken samosa.
- A cup of masala chai.
Make Ahead and Storage
Folded, uncooked samosas keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. For longer, freeze them on a tray, then move them to a freezer-safe bag for up to 4 weeks. Fry them straight from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes. Leftover cooked samosas turn into samosa pizza chaat.
Common Questions
How do you fold a samosa with round pastry?
Cut the round in half, wet the straight edge, and bring its two corners together to make a cone. Fill the cone, then wet the open edge and pinch it shut.
Which samosa sheets are best?
Rectangular samosa sheets, sold as samosa patti, are the easiest because one strip makes one samosa with no cutting. The sheets in the photos and video here are from Switz, a brand also sold in the UK.
Is a samoosa or sambusa folded the same way?
Yes. Samoosa is the South African name and sambusa the East African and Middle Eastern one, and the strip wrappers sold for them fold into a triangle with the same cone fold.
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