Samosa pinwheel is a delicious vegetarian (or vegan snack) recipe inspired from popular Indian street food ‘samosa’ where spicy mashed potatoes are wrapped in a crispy flaky pastry. Traditionally they are folded in triangle shape but here we are giving it a fun twist by making them as pinwheels.
The pinwheel samosas can be fried on stovetop or baked in air fryer (both methods included in post). They are a great option to serve as snacks, appetiser, finger food in parties, potluck or festivals like diwali, holi etc. The pinwheel recipe shared here is:
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Kids friendly
- Easy to make & serve
What is pinwheel samosa?
Samosa Pinwheels are also known as potato pinwheels or aloo bhakarwadi. Just like the original samosas, they are the perfect combination of crispy pastry and spiced potatoes with difference in shape only. You will get same taste but in bite size servings.
Three main components of Samosa Pinwheel:
Potato Mash:
To make the potato filling, we first boil the potatoes and cook them with spices like cumin, red chilli or coriander powder to incorporate all the flavours. If you like less spicy food, you can omit some spices or use lesser amounts. Addition of fresh herb like cilantro or coriander instantly adds aroma & freshness to it.
Please take care of never over boiling the potatoes or leave them in water after boiling. This causes them to absorb excess moisture and the resultant filling can turn out too sticky or watery.
Outer Crust:
The outer flaky crust of samosa consists of a simple dough made with plain flour, water, oil and salt. Some carom seeds adds lovely aroma and aids in digestion also. In comparison to roti or paratha, the dough for samosa is little bit on harder side (almost like a shortcrust pastry). It is important to rest the dough as it helps in making it pliable & flexible.
Slurry:
A mixture of flour (maida) & water is prepared in which pinwheels are dipped before frying. The slurry creates a small barrier on the surface preventing the potatoes from splitting in the oil while frying. You do not need to make the slurry if air frying.
You can use any cooking oil or vegetable oil for frying these samosas. Please use oil for brushing even when you are making them in air fryer as it helps in making the pinwheels crunchy and gives them golden colour on top. You will need just 2-3 tbsp oil for making them in air fryer.
Can I use puff pastry for making pinwheel samosas?
If you are planning to bake or air fry the samosa, then instead of kneading the dough from scratch you can easily use store bought puff pastry sheets. First thaw the sheets at room temperature and then make the samosa roll (as explained in the steps below) and cut pinwheels. Air fry them at 180°C (360°F) for 13-15 minutes till they are crispy & golden brown or bake them in oven at 180°C (360°F) for 20 to 25 minutes.
What to serve with pinwheel samosa?
In India, samosas are generally served with sweet-sour Imli Chutney (Tamarind sauce) or Green Chutney (Coriander Mint Chutney). You can easily make them at home or buy readymade from stores like Dabur Imli sauce or Chatpati Hari Chutney (not a promotional post). However if you do not find either of them, then enjoy them with tomato ketchup.
Youtube Video:
More vegetarian snacks or starter recipes:
- Falafel
- Vegetable Rice Balls
- Crispy Corn Fritters
- Pinwheel Sandwiches
- Kacche Kele Ki Tikki (Raw Banana Cutlets)
Ingredients: (Makes 24-26 pieces)
- For Filling:
- Boiled Potatoes- 4 (medium size)
- Cooking Oil- 1 tbsp
- Cumin (Jeera)- 1/2 tsp
- Asafoetida (Heeng)- A pinch
- Ginger Paste- 1 tsp
- Chopped Green Chilli- 1
- Red Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
- Coriander Powder (Dhaniya)- 1 tsp
- Salt- 3/4 tsp (to taste)
- Dry Mango powder (Amchoor)- 1/2 tsp
- Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
- Freshly Chopped Coriander / Cilantro- 2 tbsp
- For Outer Covering:
- All Purpose Flour (Maida)- 2 cups(250 grams)
- Carom seeds (Ajwain)- 3/4 tsp
- Salt-1 tsp
- Oil- 3 tbsp
- Water-1/2 cup (approx.)
- For Slurry
- All Purpose Flour (Maida)- 2 tbsp
- Water- 4 tbsp
- Other Ingredients:
- Oil- For cooking
Notes:
- Adjust the spiciness as per your taste. Instead of red chilli powder you can also use paprika or crushed black pepper.
- Dry Mango powder or Amchoor is added to give tanginess to the potato mix. If you don’t have it you can also add some chat masala.
- The salt is used twice in the recipe- once in the dough and second time while preparing the potato filling. Do not put too much salt in first time while making filling. Add small amount first, taste and then adjust the amount.
Directions:
Step 1:
In a mixing bowl take all purpose flour (maida), salt, carom seeds (ajwain) and oil. Rub all the ingredients well with hands so that a loose lump is formed when you close your fist.
Step 2:
Gradually add water to the flour in order to knead a dough which is on harder side. Cover it with a damp cloth and keep it aside for at least 20-30 minutes. In the mean time let us proceed to next step.
Step 3:
In a pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and add jeera (cumin) & heeng (asafoetida) to it. After 10-15 seconds add ginger paste and chopped green chillies. Sauté for 30-40 seconds. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder. Let them roast for 30-40 seconds more till they start releasing their aroma
Step 4:
Add grated boiled potatoes to it. Mix well and add salt, garam masala, amchoor powder (dry mango powder) and freshly chopped coriander leaves. Roast this mixture for 2-3 minutes on medium-low flame while mixing in between. Keep this mixture aside to cool down completely.
Step 5:
To make pinwheel, divide the dough in two parts. While you are using one part keep the other part covered with damp cloth. Start rolling it on a board into a circle using a rolling pin. Spread the prepared potato filling on the rolled dough. Level it with hands or with the help of a spoon/knife.
Step 6:
Grease your hands and start rolling the sheet gently to form a tight samosa roll. Roll this log gently for 1 min on the rolling board so that potato mash and dough sticks together well. With the help of a sharp knife, start slicing the logs into 1/2 inch thick pieces as shown below. Arrange these on a plate or tray.
Step 7:
Prepare a slurry using maida (flour) and water and mix well using a fork till there are no lumps left. Keep it aside.
Step 8:
You have two options at this step. You can either air-fry or deep fry them. Both the methods are explained in detail below:
For frying on stovetop, Heat some oil in a deep frying pan. Coat the pinwheel samosa in the slurry (one by one) & then lower them into the hot oil. Fry them on medium-high flame initially and once they start cooking, lower the flame. Flip them in 2-3 minutes so that they are evenly cooked on both sides.
Fry them till they become golden brown in colour. Transfer them over a tissue paper. Serve hot with some chutney or dip.
Air Fryer Samosa Pinwheel
1. Preheat the air fryer at 180°C (356°F) for 10 minutes. In the mean time, brush some oil on the pinwheels (No need to dip them in slurry).
2. Once the air fryer is pre-heated, place the pinwheels such that the surface on which oil was brushed is facing downwards. Brush some more oil on the top of the pinwheels.
3. Air-fry them for 18-20 minutes at 180°C (356°F). After 10 minutes flip the pinwheel samosas & let them air fry from other side too.
(P.S: The cooking time may vary depending on the air fryer model so adjust the time accordingly.)
Serve these hot pinwheel samosa with fresh coriander chutney, tamarind chutney or ketchup!! 🙂
Pin for later :
Tips / Tricks:
1. If you find it difficult to cut the roll, then wrap it in cling film and let it chill for 20-30 minutes. Use a sharp knife for cutting the pinwheels.
2. Make sure the oil in which you are frying pinwheel samosa is medium hot initially and then lower the flame when it starts cooking . If you fry them on high flame they may get brown quickly from outside leaving the insides soft and raw.
FAQ:
Can I make these pinwheel samosa in advance?
Yes, You can make all its preparations in advance, half fry them & keep them aside. At the time of serving, just fry them for second time and serve hot with any chutney or dip of your choice.
Can I freeze them?
Yes you can freeze the samosa pinwheels easily. Just half fry them till they cook enough to retain their shape. Let them cool down first. Then spread them on a tray and freeze for 1-2 hours. Finally, transfer them in a ziplock bag and keep them in freezer. These can be stored for 15-20 days this way. At the time of serving, just deep fry or air fry them.
If you try this easy pinwheel samosa recipe & share pics on social media, then don’t forget to tag on Facebook, Instagram or use #kuchpakrahahai.
Sarika
This is amazing