Thai Vegetable Samosas with Coconut Curry Dip

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The crisp, golden triangles that show up on nearly every Thai restaurant appetizer list — thin spring-roll pastry wrapped around a yellow-curry potato and carrot filling. Store-bought wrappers do the hard part, so you get shatter-crisp layers in about an hour, and a warm coconut curry sauce for dipping instead of the usual bottled sweet chili. Pan-fry them shallow, or brush and bake for a lighter version.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tbsp neutral oil, such as canola
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp Thai yellow curry paste
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 cup coarsely grated carrot (about 2 medium)
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems

• 8 spring roll wrappers, 8-inch square, thawed (or 16 samosa pastry strips)
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp water
• 3 cups neutral oil for frying, or 3 tbsp for baking

• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp Thai yellow curry paste
• 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 2 tsp light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce, to keep it vegetarian)
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

1. Put the potato chunks in a saucepan, cover with cold water by an inch, add a big pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer 12 to 15 minutes, until a paring knife slides through with no resistance. Drain well and let them steam dry in the colander for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook 2 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant but not browned.
3. Add the yellow curry paste, curry powder, cumin, and turmeric. Fry the spices in the oil for 60 to 90 seconds, stirring constantly — the paste should darken slightly and smell toasty. Stir in the grated carrot and cook 3 minutes, just until it loses its raw crunch.
4. Add the drained potatoes, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mash coarsely right in the pan with a fork or potato masher, leaving plenty of pea-sized lumps for texture. Fold in the peas, lime juice, and cilantro. Taste and adjust salt. Spread on a plate and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes — warm filling will tear the wrappers and steam them soggy.
5. Make the dipping sauce: heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over medium, add the curry paste, and fry 1 minute. Whisk in the coconut milk, brown sugar, and fish sauce. Simmer gently 4 to 5 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy, then take off the heat and stir in the lime juice and pepper flakes. Set aside; it thickens as it cools.
6. Whisk the flour and water into a smooth, glue-like paste. Stack the spring roll wrappers and cut each square into two 4-inch-wide strips (16 strips total). Keep them under a damp towel so they don't dry out.
7. Fold each samosa: lay a strip vertically in front of you. Fold the bottom right corner up and to the left to form a triangle, then fold that triangle straight up on itself — you now have a cone-shaped pocket. Open the pocket, drop in a scant 2 tablespoons of filling, and press it down gently. Continue folding the triangle up the strip, corner over corner, until you reach the end. Brush the last inch with flour paste and press to seal, tucking in any loose flap. Repeat with the remaining strips; keep finished samosas covered.
8. To pan-fry: pour 3 cups oil into a deep 3-quart saucepan or wok (about 1 1/2 inches deep) and heat to 350°F on a thermometer. Fry 4 or 5 samosas at a time for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and blistered. Drain on a wire rack, not paper towels, and let the oil return to 350°F between batches.
9. To bake instead: heat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the upper third. Arrange the samosas on a parchment-lined sheet pan and brush both sides generously with oil. Bake 12 minutes, flip, and bake 8 to 10 minutes more until crisp and browned at the edges.
10. Sprinkle the hot samosas with a pinch of salt and serve immediately with the coconut curry sauce, warm or at room temperature, in a small bowl for dipping.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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