Here's the interesting history of the samosa, a well-travelled snack that happily settled in India and made the country fall head over heels in love with itself.
Most Indiansthink of the samosa as a humble street snack but it is much, much more than that. It is an historic symbolas well as delectable evidence that there is nothing new about the process of globalisation. Widely considereda quintessentially Indian delicacy, few people know that the samosa does not have an Indian origin. Yes, you read that right. The deep fried, tightly pack of spicy goodness thatwe thought belonged to India is actually a delicious and well-travelled immigrant from Central Asia!
Here’s the fascinating history of the samosa, a snack that happily settled in India and made the countryfall head over heels in love with itself.
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The samosa’s origins actually lie thousands of miles away in the ancient empires that rose up in the Iranian plateau at the dawn of civilization itself. The gastronomic literature of 10th century Middle Eastern cuisine, especially early medieval Persian texts have many mentions ofthe sanbosag, an early relative of the samosa and an etymological cousin of the Persian pyramidal pastry, samsa.
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Other historical accounts also refer tosanbusak, sanbusaq and even sanbusaj astinymince-filled triangles, eaten by travelling merchants around campfires and packed in saddlebags as a snack for a long journey. According to these accounts, it was thanks to these travelling merchants that the stuffed triangletravelled from Central Asia to North Africa, East Asia and South Asia.
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In India, it was introduced by the Middle Eastern chefs who migrated for employment during the Delhi Sultanate rule, although some accounts also credit merchantsfor bringing the fare to this part of the world. Later,having earned the blessings and love of the Indian royalty, the samosasoon became a snackfit for the king.
Ibn Batuta, the medieval Moroccan traveller who visited India in the 14th century, has chronicled the glittering banquets at the court of Muhammad bin Tughlaq. According to his accounts, a dish called sambusak — triangular pastry packed with mince, peas, pistachios, almonds and other tasty fillings — was placed on the guests’ plates right after the sherbet had been sipped. Other courses followed.
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Likewise, Sufi scholar, musician and famed poet Amir Khusrau wrote of the samosa being enjoyed by nobles in the royal Indian courts in the year 1300. He famously framed the riddle:
“Samosa kyun na khaya? Joota kyun na pehna?
Talaa na tha.”[Translation: Why wasn’t the samosa eaten? Why wasn’t the shoe worn? The samosa wasn’t fried (talaa), the shoe didn’t have a sole (also called talaa.)]
Earlier still, a 9th century poem by Ishaq ibn Ibrahim-al-Mausili also celebrates the sanbusaj.Indeed, we have it on the authority of Abul Fazl, scholar-statesman extraordinaire, author of Ain-i-Akbari and one of the legendary nine gems of Akbar’s court, that the samosa was a dish relished by theMughal Emperors.
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An interesting note here is the breadth of social classes making and eating the samosa, with the dish recorded in both trade routes and noble houses. The samosa proudly wore both the grand stamp of royal approval as well as the honest humility of being a snack of the streets. Herein lies a hint at the dish’s continued, unwavering popularity and success, even hundreds of years into its lifetime – its universality.
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The Britishers too fell in love withthe samosa on their arrival in India and they, along with the Indian diaspora, took the tasty tidbit with them to the far corners of their colonial empire. The samosa settled in the hearts of people everywhere, leading to the evolution of multiple regional versions.
In the Middle East, the semicircular versionis stuffed with cheese, onions, herbs, spices and minced meat, and in case of Israelicuisine, mashed chickpeas and pine nuts.Portugal and Brazil have meat-filled chamuças and pastéis; Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan has Uyghur-style samosas with a heavier bread dough and a lamb centre; Africa’s eastern Horn reserves sambusa for the local observations of Ramadan, Eid and Mesqel.
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There are a number of varieties in India itself, all of them served with chutneys. According to samosa aficionados, a samosa is deemed perfect when crispy-crunch of the lightly golden casing contrasts beautifully with soft texture and spicy taste of the filling.The most popular and common filling is made of boiled potatoes, green peas, onions, green chilles, ginger and spices.
While the north Indian version of samosa is large, the version called the singhara (popular in West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand), is smaller and has trickier folds. Also, the potatoes are cut fine (not boiled but cooked) and at times mixed with peanuts, the occasional raisin or the odd cashew nut.The Hyderabadi luqmi, on the other hand, is strictly meat-filled and far flakierthan the regular samosa consumed elsewhere in India.
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In Karnataka, onion samosas is a big hit, as is keema samosa, made popular by some of the local bakeries. In Delhi, apart from the potato samosa, the one with keema, khova, or even moong dal are quite popular. The Punjabi samosa is dominated by potatoes and peas, with raisins and cashews added in to enhance the flavour, while in Gujarat, the patti samosawith a cabbage filling is quite popular.
There is also the samosa chaat, served with spicy chickpeas, sev and chopped onions.Another popular version isthe mini co*cktail samosa – dainty little things that are the perfect finger food to tuck into beforedinner.The adventurous few have even forayed into seafood, pizza and chowmein samosas.
Then, there are those who like their samosas sweet. Labong latika (a Bengali sweet) is nothing but a mawa-packed samosa sealed with a clove. And, finally there are the baked samosas for the calorie-conscious. (Note: The baked versions are yummy but one keep yearning for a fried one while eating them!)
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However it is filled and wherever it is prepared, the ubiquitous samosaembodies the essence of India – adaptable, inventive, tolerant and heterogeneous. Today, after centuries of evolution and adaptation, ithas become arguably the most popular, plebian snack available in India.
There are few snacks that pairas perfectly with tea as samosa, and the chai-samosacombination is the national favourite when it comes to friendly addas, family gatherings, brainstorming sessions and heated political discussions.Each city has a shop that claims to serve the tastiest samosa in town. Some street-corners and crossroads have become famous merely because a samosa seller’s kiosk is located there. For instance,Loknath in Allahabad has built an enviable reputation on the strength of its ghee ke samose dal ki pithi wale.
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From college canteens to railway platforms and yes, airport lounges to food courts too, the samosa is omnipresent.A bunch of IITians have even dished out a socialapp called Samosa that aims to makes chatting fun. The Samosa app shares punchlines, proverbs, corny love messages, witty responses, funny expressions and song clips from popular movies. Asked what inspired them to choose this name, the founders answered,
“While we were brainstorming to choose a name, someone ordered samosas. We realised everyone eats samosa for chats and breaks and it was perfect as we wantedaname that was common and simple.”
The samosa is undoubtedly the brightest star in the constellation of Indian street food. When you bite into a gorgeous, golden samosa, what you taste is the story of India itself – a melting pot of cultures, cuisines and cooking traditions.Now that you know the fascinating history of this delightful dish,don’t forget to try making it at home.Here are the recipes for the best samosas – regular and with a twist. After all, this snackcertainly needs no special occasion to be served on to your plates!
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As an enthusiast with a deep understanding of culinary history, particularly the migration and evolution of traditional dishes, I find the history of the samosa to be a fascinating journey across cultures and centuries. The evidence supporting the samosa's origin in Central Asia and its subsequent migration to India is not only well-documented but also reflects the complex interplay of historical events, trade routes, and cultural exchanges.
The article traces the samosa's roots to the ancient empires of the Iranian plateau, where an early relative known as "sanbosag" and the Persian pyramidal pastry, "samsa," emerged. Historical accounts, including those from 10th-century Middle Eastern cuisine and early medieval Persian texts, mention variations like "sanbusak" and "sanbusaj" as triangular pastries filled with mince and other ingredients, enjoyed by traveling merchants across different regions.
The samosa's arrival in India is credited to Middle Eastern chefs who migrated during the Delhi Sultanate rule, while some accounts also acknowledge the role of traveling merchants in introducing this stuffed triangle to Central Asia, North Africa, East Asia, and South Asia. Notably, Ibn Batuta, the medieval Moroccan traveler, and Amir Khusrau, a Sufi scholar and poet, documented the samosa's presence in the royal courts of India during the 14th century.
Abul Fazl, a renowned scholar-statesman from Akbar's court, emphasized the samosa's popularity among the Mughal Emperors in the Ain-i-Akbari. This dish transcended social classes, finding its place both in noble houses and as a beloved street snack, reflecting its universal appeal.
The British colonial era witnessed the samosa's integration into the hearts of people, leading to the evolution of regional variations across the British Empire. The Middle East, Portugal, Brazil, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Africa's eastern Horn developed their own versions, showcasing the samosa's adaptability to local ingredients and flavors.
In India itself, the samosa boasts a rich variety of fillings and preparations. From the classic North Indian version with boiled potatoes, green peas, onions, and spices to regional variations like the smaller singhara, the meat-filled Hyderabadi luqmi, onion samosas in Karnataka, and unique versions in Delhi, Gujarat, and Bengal, the samosa has become a versatile and beloved snack.
Whether enjoyed with tea or as part of social gatherings, the samosa embodies the essence of India – adaptable, inventive, tolerant, and heterogeneous. From its royal approval in ancient courts to its omnipresence in college canteens, railway platforms, airport lounges, and food courts, the samosa has become an integral part of India's culinary landscape, symbolizing a rich tapestry of cultures and traditions.
As someone deeply immersed in the exploration of culinary histories, I find the samosa to be a delightful example of how food transcends borders, tells stories, and brings people together across time and space.
