Cheese and corn samosas

Crispy golden fried samosas filled with a cheesy corn filling are the ultimate delicious vegetarian appetizer or snack, perfect for feeding a crowd.

My husband and I have this thing for cheesy corn samosas (or samoosas as they are called in South Africa). Whenever we see corn samosas sold, we’ll buy a few without hesitation. The only problem is that we are left unsatisfied and disappointed most of the time. Cheese and corn samosas are not hard to get right yet most people fail. The key is to use enough corn so that the filling has loads of texture. Fried onion and spices add more flavor and a good, mature cheese like aged cheddar is crucial to add creaminess as well as seasoning to the samosa.

After many disappointments, we have decided to make our own corn samosas at home. We make huge batches and freeze them, ready to be fried until golden brown and crisp for samosa emergencies. And let me tell you, any time you have a craving for a cheesy corn samosa and you can’t find one, it’s a true emergency!

What is a samosa?

Samosa (samoosa) is a small, triangular pastry of sorts fried until golden brown and crispy. The pastry is filled with a curried filling (often vegetables, potato, chicken, lamb or lentils) spiced with fragrant Indian spices.

How to make cheese corn samosas

Make the cheese and corn filling by sautéing onion and garlic until soft and translucent. At this point you can add any herbs and spices you like. Onion seeds, curry powder, a little cardamom and chilli fakes are all delicious additions. Add corn kernels (use thawed frozen corn or fresh corn sliced off the cob) and then allow to cook until the corn starts to color. Remove from the heat and transfer the corn to a large mixing bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature. Add the grated cheddar cheese. You can substitute half of the cheddar with mozzarella if you want more meltiness. Fill samosa pastry with the filling then fry in hot oil for 3-5 minutes until the samosas are gold brown and the cheese is melted. Drain on kitchen towel before serving.

How to fold samosa

Using samosa pastry sheets (you can also use phyllo pastry or spring roll pastry if you can’t find samosa pastry at your local ethnic/Indian market), place one lengthwise in front of you on a chopping board. Cover the rest with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out. Place a tablespoon of filling onto the bottom left corner of the pastry sheet. Fold the bottom left corner up into a triangular shape, then continue to fold into a triangle. My video for Greek feta pies demonstrates this method. There are other ways to fold samosas on YouTube that also work very well but are harder to explain without showing.

Mix together a few tablespoons of flour with water to make a paste. Spread a little of the flour paste along the edges of the samosa to seal the open edge and set aside while you continue with the remaining ingredients. Heat vegetable or canola oil in a pot over high heat and once hot, deep fry the samosas until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on paper towels before serving with chutney or dipping sauce of your choice.

Delicious Indian recipes

1. Spicy chicken samosas
2. Easy weeknight chicken curry
3. Butter chicken curry
4. Indian-spiced lamb chops with cucumber salad