Delicious Hyderabadi Onion Samosa Recipe

Onion samosas are a typical South Indian treat, famous especially in Hyderabad, like Chicken 65.

These we originally served hot and crispy in Irani cafes, which were opened by Zoroastrian Irani immigrants when India was still a British colony in the 19th century.

Because of their origin, they are often called Irani samosas, and, as they are particularly famous in Hyderabad, also Hyderabadi samosas.

Irani onion samosas are different from traditional Punjabi samosas, as they have a very thin Patti outside and are fried while the filling ingredients are still raw.

On the other hand, traditional Indian samosas, have a flaky pastry sheet that is quite thick and rich, and a pre-cooked filling, such as potato or chicken.

Now, as many think preparing samosas is a long and tiring affair, it will surely be a surprise to hear that the prep time for these Irani samosas is only 10 minutes, ad that you can have a great platter of hot samosas ready in about half an hour.

In this samosa recipe, I use store-bought samosa sheets [or spring roll sheets], and the filling is a mixture of thinly sliced onions, poha [flattened rice], a mix of Indian spices, such as Kashmiri chilli powder, some fresh cilantro leaves, and few other bits and pieces.

All you need after that is a pot of hot oil to fry these delights to perfection.

Happy cooking!

Irani Samosa Recipe Ingredients

• Onions: Choose any color of choice, although I used red. You will need thinly sliced onions so that they can cook completely while deep frying.
• Poha: The poha [flattened rice in English] will help absorb the extra moisture the fresh onions produce, in order to have super crispy samosas.
• Cumin Powder, Chaat Masala, Coriander Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder: These are the only ground spices in the recipe.
• Cilantro [Freshly Chopped Coriander Leaves]: Adds freshness and balances out the flavors.
• Green Chilies: These will need to be finely chopped as well, so as to allow them to blend well with the onion filling. They are optional, but I recommend using them if you like spicy samosas.
• Salt To Taste
• Samosa Sheets: Can be found in the frozen isle of most Indian or Asian grocery shops. Spring roll sheets are a great alternative.

How To Make Onion Samosa?

1. To start, prepare all the ingredients for the onion filling.
2. Thinly chop the onions, green chilies, and fresh cilantro.
3. Add the poha, chopped coriander leaves [cilantro], green chilies, onions, and the Indian spices in a bowl and mix well.
4. Remember to add salt to the onion stuffing, as there won't be a chance once the pastry sheets have been filled.
5. Once the onion stuffing is ready, prepare the flour slurry or maida paste, which is made of all-purpose flour and some water. This will need to be quite thick in consistency, as it is used as an adhesive to keep each onion samosa sealed.

6. Next, start by putting together the first onion samosa.
7. Spread a pastry sheet [spring roll and samosa sheets are long and rectangular] on your countertop and fold the first corner 45 degrees; do it once more and you will obtain a cone with a long piece of the sheet on the side.
8. Fill the cone with onion stuffing, making sure not to overfill it.
9. Continue folding the pastry sheet in triangles until you reach the last fold. Cover the inner part of the last sheet piece with some maida paste, and seal the samosa.
10. If your corners have holes, dip them in the smooth paste as well, as this will hold the onion samosa and filling together.
11. Set the prepared samosa aside and cover it with a damp cloth to keep it fresh, while you prepare all the onion samosas.
12. Heat oil in a large frying pan till it is hot, but it doesn't overheat; this means keeping it on a low to medium flame.
13. Add the samosas to the pan and allow them to cook completely. Ideally, you will want the raw onions to cook fully, and the pastry to be golden brown and crispy.
14. Once ready, remove the Irani onion samosa from the oil and remove the excess oil by spreading them on a sheet of parchment paper or kitchen towel, or a cooling rack.
15. Serve hot and enjoy with a nice hot cup of chai!

How To Store Samosa?

• Raw in the fridge: It is not recommended to keep raw onions in the refrigerator for an extended time, as their consistency can change. Ideally, store the prepared samosa tray in the fridge, well sealed with cling film, or move them to an airtight container. For the best taste, fry them and serve them within a day.
• Fried in the fridge: A portion of fried onion samosa can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days; however, they may not remain as crispy. To reheat them, place them in the oven or the air fryer for best results.
• Raw in the freezer: These onion samosas can be stored raw in the freezer for up to three months. First, place on a tray in the freezer, well spread out, for a couple of hours, then move to a freezable bag or container; this process will prevent the samosa pastry sheets from sticking to each other. To fry, remove them from the freezer 10 minutes in advance and fry on medium heat until the onions are fully cooked and the pastry crispy.
• Fried in the freezer: These can be frozen following the same process as the raw samosa recipe. To reheat them and make the samosa crispy, allow them to fully thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the oven or air fryer; as an alternative, these can also be refried, but make sure not to overcook the pastry.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Crispy Onion Samosa Recipe

• Onion Filling: It is important these are finely chopped, as they are the main wet ingredient in the stuffing. Poha is added in this onion samosa recipe to absorb the excess moisture these bring and, should you not have it or prefer not to use it, it is important that when you add sliced onions to the mix these are sliced even smaller. During frying, you will want the moisture to be fully eliminated, the onion filling to be thoroughly cooked, and the pastry to be golden brown for the perfect crispy samosa.
• Spices: This onion samosa recipe uses very few spices. If you wish to make your snack recipe spicier, you can increase the amount of chili powder used; if you prefer your samosa milder, you can either reduce or eliminate it, or swap it for Kashmiri chili powder. Garam masala is not used in this recipe, as coriander powder, cumin powder, and chaat masala add the warmth needed. Should you not have cumin powder, cumin seeds can be used instead, although the end result will slightly change.
• Flour Paste: When you apply maida paste to the samosa corners, dip them in well and ensure to fully seal the samosa. This will keep the stuffing in and the oil clean. There is no need to season the maida paste.
• Frying Oil: It is important the oil is at the right temperature when frying a batch of onion samosa. Too hot oil will cook the outside, but not the stuffing, which will still be raw and moist, while the samosa will absorb too cold oil. Heat oil on medium heat and, once ready, you will be able to add the samosa batch you wish to fry and many small bubbles will form around; this will allow the filling to cook, and the pastry to crisp up. Fry the samosa batch until the bubbles cease and turn golden brown.
• Air Fryer: If you wish to cook these in the air fryer, use phyllo pastry as a wrapper for your onion samosa recipe. In between layers of phyllo, ensure you add a greasing element.
• Serve With: Chutney! You can use the green chutney recipe from this Chicken Tikka Sandwich recipe card, should you wish.

These delicious pyaz ka samosa recipe is easy and quick to prepare, uses no fussy ingredients, and is full of flavor.

This deep-fried snack recipe is perfect for large gatherings and parties, barbecues, or simple afternoon treats with tea. Originally, they were served in theatres [before pop corn!], so if you fancy a lazy afternoon watching a movie, there's nothing better than a nice platter of South Indian samosa and a hot drink.

If you try this recipe, I would love to hear your thoughts, so please rate and comment below!

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