Feta & Herb Samosas

Preparation

Samosas are incredibly common in Kenyan cuisine. In fact, they’re so common that they sell them in gas stations! “This has always surprised me,” says cookbook author Kiano Moju. “They usually call for a fair amount of work; making the filling, folding, and frying.” Enter Moju’s quick-fix samosas that are made with a no-cook feta-and-herb filling and encased in store-bought egg roll wrappers. “These are best eaten immediately after frying when the cheese is soft and gooey!”

Excerpted from AFRICALI: Recipes from My Jikoni. Copyright @ 2024 by Kiano Moju. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.

*This recipe originally ran stateside on HexClad.com.

1. Roughly chop cilantro and parsley leaves and tender stems; discard tough stems or reserve for stock. Roughly chop mint leaves and discard stems. In a medium bowl, combine feta, chopped herbs, crushed coriander seeds, and oregano. In a small bowl, lightly beat 1 egg and fold into feta mixture. The egg helps bind the filling together—if it is looking dry, lightly beat remaining egg and fold into feta mixture. 

2. In a small bowl, whisk flour with 1 tablespoon of water—you should have a runny paste similar to glue.

3. Using a knife, cut each square egg roll wrapper in half crosswise to create triangles. Cover with a damp towel until ready to use. 

4. Place 1 egg roll triangle on a work surface with the top of the triangle pointing away from you. Fold left corner toward the middle. Dab a finger in the flour paste and spread a thin layer on the outside of the left corner. Fold right corner over left corner and press gently to seal, creating a cone shape. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of feta filling into cone, then fold top flap over filling and use flour paste to seal shut, creating a little triangular pocket. Make sure there are no gaps in the samosa or the filling will leak when fried. Repeat with remaining triangles and filling. Transfer to a large plate and cover with a damp towel until ready to fry.

5. Fill a HexClad 4.5QT/4.3L Hybrid Deep Sauté Pan with 1 inch of neutral oil and heat over medium-high until oil reaches 350°F/180°C. Working in 3 to 4 batches, fry samosas, turning every 30 seconds, until crispy and a light golden brown, about 2 minutes. As you’re working, raise or lower heat as needed to maintain temperature. Transfer samosas to a large paper towel-lined plate to drain. Serve warm with lime wedges.