Samosa is one of those snacks that taste amazing when it’s hot inside and crispy from outside.
These are the two most important characteristics of this snack.
However, many times, when you make it at home, it doesn’t turn as crispy and crunchy as the ones you get at Halwai shops.
You can bring the same taste to the stuffing, but it’s quite a challenge to make them ‘karare‘ as we call it in Hindi.
So, what’s the secret behind the crispiness of the hot favorite Samosas?
Let’s find out in the detailed guide below.
How Do You Keep Samosas Crispy?
The thing you need to do here is to make them crispy in the first place!
If your Samosas are not crispy when they’re out from the oil, it’d be nearly impossible to get the same texture back as they cool down.
So, always make sure they are crispy when you’re done frying them in the Kadai or fryer.
Alright now, here are the tips to keep your Samosa crispy for a long time –
1. Use less water for the dough.
Yes, if your dough’s consistency is not right, it might ruin all your efforts in the end.
For the Samosa dough, you don’t require a lot of water.
The dough should be thicker than regular chapati or roti dough.
When you get the required consistency to it, it helps in getting the crunchy texture to the cover.
Also, if you use more water, the dough might soak in extra oil while frying.
So, it’s necessary to keep an eye on the water content while kneading this type of dough.
Quick Tip – The Samosa dough should rest for at least 20-30 minutes.
Once you rest it for this much period, you can knead it again for a couple of minutes.
The resting period is quite essential, as it helps in bringing the elasticity to the dough.
2. Use Ghee.
When it comes to making the best Samosa dough, there can’t be any replacement to Ghee (clarified butter).
You can use oil, but it won’t help much in making your Samosa cover crispy and crunchy.
The extra fat content in the Ghee is quite essential for these results.
How to use Ghee for Samosa dough?
Here’s the step by step process –
- Get a bowl and add the flour to it.
- Now, add the Salt, Ajwain (Carrom Seeds), and Ghee to it.
- Mix it with your hands and make sure it reaches all parts of the flour.
Important: In case you are wondering, you need to add at least a couple of tablespoons of clarified butter for each cup of flour.
You can add a bit more Ghee if you like, but the above ratio is good enough for the dough preparation.
So, that is the standard method to incorporate it with the flour.
Note – After mixing the flour, it should turn into a crumbly and fluffy texture.
If you can’t get the desired texture, you can add more Ghee as per the quantity of flour.
Once the mixing is over, you can add some water and start the kneading process immediately.
3. Do not cook them in very hot oil.
When you are making Samosas at home, you shouldn’t cook them in extremely hot oil.
Well, I have seen people making this mistake while preparing this snack.
They try to fry them like Pakodas or Fritters.
And that’s not the right way to fry the Samosas.
If you fry on high flame, you will quickly see bubbles forming on their outer cover.
Well, it not only looks bad but also affects the texture of the cover.
When you cook them on such high flame, the most outer layer of cover becomes crisp immediately.
But the inner layers of dough remain slightly undercooked.
And therefore, the Samosas don’t turn crispy and crunchy enough.
Also, when you store such Samosas, they don’t retain the same texture for a long time.
Hence, don’t fry them on high flame if you want to keep them crispy.
4. Keep them in a bowl or plate.
That’s right!
If you’ve visited Indian sweets shops or snack centers, you might have observed the sellers never cover their fried food items with any lid.
And obviously, they do the same thing with the Samosas.
But is there any reason why they keep everything in open?
Yes, they do it so that the texture and crispiness of their deep-fried snacks can last for at least a few extra minutes.
If you put them in a covered box or container, they quickly lose their texture and turn soggy within a moment.
It happens due to the increase in the internal temperature of a closed box or container.
The steam generated by Samosas or any other deep-fried items releases in the box, and it eventually gets absorbed back into them.
Therefore, refrain from storing them in such an enclosed environment.
Instead, you can store them in a bowl or plate so that the hot air can release in the atmosphere.
Note – The fried snacks do turn cold due to direct exposure to room temperature.
And there is nothing much you can do about it.
If you want to reheat the Samosas, you will probably need to put them back in a pan or microwave for a few minutes.
Alright, I hope these tips help you keep Samosas crispy at least for a few hours.
Secret Formula To Prepare And Store Crispy Samosas
For even better results, I have explained a simple formula below.
Here’s the formula –
Low + Medium + Low = Crispy Samosas!
So, what does this L-M-L thing mean?
The explanation –
The first ‘Low’ in this formula is about the temperature of the uncooked Samosas.
When you are about to fry them in the oil, please make sure the stuffing and cover are not warm or hot.
If the stuffing is hot, keep it in the refrigerator for some time.
And when its temperature drops to room temperature, you can begin the stuffing and sealing process.
The second point is Medium, and it’s related to the temperature of the oil.
It basically means the oil temperature should be around a medium-high level.
You don’t want it to be too hot, as it might cook the Samosas unevenly.
It should be uniform throughout the frying process.
When the temperature of the oil is stable, it helps in getting the nice golden color and crisp texture to the Samosas.
The final point is about the ‘Low’ surrounding temperature.
When you store the fried Samosas in a covered box, the inside temperature increases instantaneously.
And that’s not at all good for the much desired crispy Samosa texture.
So, as I mentioned earlier in the guide, you need to keep them in an open bowl or container.
It will help in removing the excess heat from the stuffed masala of the Samosas.
On the whole, it all depends on how you make them in the first place.
If you use incorrect techniques to prepare the dough or stuffing, you may not get the best results in the end.
Similarly, if you don’t use the right method for frying, they will turn soggy after some time.
So, do remember these useful tips.
If you follow this three-step formula, I am sure you will be able to make crispy and crunchy Samosas at home.
3 Tips To Make Samosas Crispy
As I stated above, the secret lies in the making process than storing or reheating.
So, here are a few more tips that might help you make crispy Samosas –
- Knead the dough with cold water. There is no need to use hot or warm water for this type of dough. The cold water will help a lot in making a stiff dough.
- If the oil is too hot, allow it to cool down a bit before you release the Samosas in it. You can check the oil temperature by adding a small piece of dough in the Kadai or Fryer.
- Do not fry Samosas till they are well done. If you wait longer, they will turn dark red or brown. So, take them out when they are almost done. The cooking process will continue to take place even when they’re out of the oil.
How To Store Uncooked Samosas Overnight
Thankfully, it doesn’t require as many efforts as the making process.
So, how do you store raw Samosas overnight?
You can refrigerate or freeze them as per your usage.
If you want to make them early in the morning, you may keep them in the fridge section of the refrigerator.
But if you want them for lunch the next day, I’d suggest you store them in the freezer.
This way, the stuffing will remain relatively fresh, and the Samosas will taste just fine.
Regarding storage, you will need to store them in such a way that they don’t break apart or lose their shape.
Also, you can store them in an airtight ziplock bag or container.
It will keep them fresh for a few more hours.
And that’s all you need to do when it comes to storing the Samosas overnight.
If you want more freshness to your Samosas, you can check out the following method.
Alternate Method
Well, the above tips are quite useful if you want to make Samosas the next morning!
But you don’t have to prepare everything from scratch on the previous night.
Here’s what I’d recommend if you wish to prepare them for breakfast –
- On the previous night, you should prepare the dough and make Samosa sheets out of it.
- Place them on top of each other and wrap them into a foil. You may sprinkle some flour in between so that they don’t stick to each other.
- Next step, boil the potatoes and place them in the fridge along with the foiled sheets. There is no need to peel them at this stage.
- The next morning, take both these items out from the refrigerator.
- Prepare the stuffing mixture using potatoes and stuff into Samosa cone when it’s cooled down.
As I said, if you have an hour or so for the preparation, you should definitely consider making the masala in the morning.
The fresh masala mixture will bring a better taste to Samosas.
However, if you don’t have a lot of time for its preparation, you can prepare everything at night and fry them the next day.
FAQs
You can fry them like regular Punjabi Samosas.
There is no real difference between them as far as frying is concerned.
The only two things you need to remember are the temperature of the oil as well as the readymade Samosa.
If the oil is too hot, it won’t cook properly.
On the other hand, the uncooked Samosas should be at room temperature before frying.
If you have kept them in the freezer, you should wait till their temperature gets back to normal.
Do not fry them when they are cold, as they will soak up extra oil during this frying process.
Also, if there’s more moisture content in them, the oil will start spluttering.
And it might lead to some injuries too.
So, be careful when you’re frying the frozen Samosas at home.
A Samosa can be sealed by joining the two edges of the dough.
When you join the edges, it automatically forms a cone-shaped structure.
In this structure, you have to fill the stuffing mixture and seal the bottom with the dough.
For the sealing purpose, you should use water on the edges.
Also, press the edges firmly so that they don’t open in the oil.
You can also use rice flour slurry to seal the edges nicely.
For better understanding, I’d suggest you watch the tutorials available on YouTube.
Of course, you can!
The uncooked Samosas remain fresh in the refrigerator for at least 12-16 hours.
You can also keep them in the freezer, but you need to de-freeze them the next day.
For more details, do check out the tips shared above in this guide.
If you want to keep your Samsoas crispy and crunchy, you need to avoid using Onion or any such vegetables in the mixture.
These veggies, especially Onions, tend to release juices in the mixture, which makes the outer cover soggy after frying.
Along with this, you should also consider using cold water for kneading the dough.
These couple of tips will help in preventing the soggy texture for your Samosas.
There could be several reasons for it.
The first reason, however, is the dough!
If you don’t knead the dough well, you won’t be able to achieve the crispy texture to it.
Similarly, Ghee or clarified butter plays a role in getting the desired level of crunchy and crispy texture to the cover.
If you use oil while preparing the dough, you will have difficulties in getting the right results.
The water content is also a crucial factor in the making of Samosa dough.
If you pour too much water, the dough might turn softer.
However, it will make things difficult for you if you want to make crispy Samosas at home.
Finally, you should also look at the temperature of the oil.
It shouldn’t be too hot.
Otherwise, Samosas may turn crispy in the beginning and will lose the texture as they cool down.
So, keep these things in mind when you are making them at home.
Over To You
Well, I hope you enjoyed this guide on how to keep Samosas crispy for a long time.
If you have any more questions related to this topic, please let me know in the comments section below.
I will surely reply to your queries.
Meanwhile, if you liked the guide, do consider sharing it with your friends and family.
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Racheal Eniola says
Thanks so much for this expose, I really find it helpful. Please what could be the reason why my freezed samosas stick to one another in the zip lock bag and become soggy, sticky, and tear apart while trying to separate them for frying? Meanwhile, I use the liquid method for my dough.
Harshad says
Hey Racheal,
This generally happens when there’s excess moisture in the samosas. Unfortunately, you can’t do much about it. After removing them from the freezer, you need to separate the samosas when they’re slightly moistened. Once that’s done, dust the samosas with some refined flour if needed.
Shori Mellinda says
Thank you so much for your very useful explanation, they are very helpful indeed. But I have a question there is a situation that I’m a retailer, I sell my samoosa while walking. if I sell them uncovered people won’t buy them. Can the crispness still be there if I cover them in a container when they have cooled.
Harshad says
Hey Shori,
Thanks for the compliment!
As for your question, the crispness can still be there if you cover them in a container when they have cooled.
But they will remain crisp for a very short period.
Therefore, in your case, it’s best to make them in small batches.
Most retailers and cafes follow the same rule – make fresh batches often to ensure optimum crispness and quality.
Oh, and one more tip for you.
Since you’re selling them on the streets, you should work on getting the taste of your chutneys right.
This will greatly help in driving more customers.
People generally don’t care about the crispy texture as long as your samosas are hot and chutneys are lip-smacking!
I hope it helps solve your problem.
Do let me know if you have more questions.
sunil dagia says
hi harshad, I need to prepare samosa, transport it to different city (around 200 kms) (samosa qty will be around 2000 nos and all this qty will be consumed next day) which means I need to store samosa for almost 24 hrs. my question is
1. Best way for packing to transport 2000 samosa
2. how to keep samosa fresh at room temperature for 24 hrs
3. will keeping samosa in Fridge ( instead of freezer) help ?
Harshad says
Hi Sunil,
1. For transporting 2000 samosas, you will need a sturdy box or container that can hold all of them without crushing. You may need to stack them in layers separated by wax paper or parchment paper.
2. To keep samosas fresh at room temperature for 24 hours, wrap them individually in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container.
3. Placing samosas in the fridge will help to keep them fresh, but they may become soggy. If you want to freeze them, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight freezer bag.
Having said that, there is a possibility that the samosas will not be as fresh as if they had been made on the day of consumption. If you are transporting them a long distance, it is best to make them as close to the consumption date as possible.
I’d also suggest you take an opinion from halwais/food exporters for further guidance.
sophie says
Hi, thank you for all the tips. I’m struggling to make a crispy pastry. I followed a recipe where I used 5 cups plain flour, 1 cup water and 1/2 melted butter and made a tight dough. It was difficult to manage and to keep the shape, so I cooked the rotis for a few sec to manage my pastry. The fried samosa pastry turned out crispy with bubbles exactly how I wanted it.
so, contained to make the rest of the samosas and froze them for later. However, when I fried these they were nothing like the original one I made. The pastry turned flat and hard. I’m not sure where I’m going wrong? Any help will be appreciated.
Harshad says
Hey Sophie,
I’m glad you liked this guide.
As for your query, it seems refrigeration is the main cause of the problem here.
When you freeze the pastry, it turns hard, and there is very little you can do about it.
Still, if you have frozen the Samosas, allow them to come to room temperature. Do not fry them when they’re cold.
Kalejaiye Funmilayo comfort says
Wow this is very helpful. You just saved a soul but would like to get your samosa recipe please💓
Harshad says
Thank you, Kalejaiye!
I wish I could share the recipe here, but it’d be too long. You can find more detailed recipes on YouTube, though.
Rema Nair says
I am a South Indian. My heartful appreciation and thanks to you for sparing your valuable time to give such a detailed description in making crispy Samosas….
Harshad says
Ah, you made my day, Rema!
Thank you for sharing this feedback. I hope you enjoy the crispy Samosas in this beautiful monsoon weather!
Goodness says
I’m Goodness from Swaziland. Excited about the recipe! Will start my small business! Thanks a lot for sharing
Harshad says
Hey,
Thank you for the compliment, and I wish you all the best in your new journey.