Chinese potli samosas

Indian Chinese cuisine is a distinct culinary style that combines elements of both Indian and Chinese dishes and flavours. These Chinese potli samosas are wonderfully golden and crunchy, and my take on this dish includes a delicious veggie filling that you would find very close to what would be in a Shanghai spring roll.

• serves

  24

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

The potli resembles a money bag and in my opinion you get the best crunch-to-filling ratio with this shape. Auspiciously the money bag is believed to be a symbol of abundance and good fortune which is very fitting for any celebration. These Chinese Potli Samosas will be a memorable addition to your Diwali celebrations and are great for feeding a group! 

Ingredients

• 240 g flour
• 3 tbsp ghee, melted
• ¼ tsp salt
• 120 ml water
• Neutral oil, for frying

Filling

• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 5 g ginger, chopped
• 1 green chilli, chopped
• 300 g Chinese cabbage, shredded
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 3 dried shiitake mushrooms, hydrated and chopped
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp sugar
• ½ tsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• Coriander leaves, to garnish
• Sweet chilli sauce, to serve
• ¼ cup coriander leaves to garnish

Resting time: 30 min

Instructions

1. For the dough: combine flour, salt and ghee in a bowl. Using your hands, bring it together. Once it starts to resemble a crumble, you can gradually add the water, working it into the flour mixture until it comes together as a dough. Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes on a clean bench. Form it into a ball and let it rest under a damp towel for 30 minutes.
2. For the filling: heat the oil over medium heat in a large saucepan or wok. Add the garlic, ginger and green chilli and saute them until they are fragrant. Add the cabbage, carrots and mushrooms with salt and saute further for 3-5 minutes to cook off the moisture in the vegetables. Add the sugar, white pepper, soy sauce, sriracha and stir fry until it is combined. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet to cool completely.
3. To assemble: section off the rested dough into 4 portions. Work with one portion at a time keeping the unused portions under the towel so they do not dry out. Roll the dough out into a rough oval shape approximately 20cm x 15cm. Using a knife cut lengthwise in half, and crosswise into thirds to create 6 wrappers the size of a wonton skin.
4. Carefully handle the wrappers. Bring the tip of your index finger and thumb together to create a circle. Place the wrapper on top of the circle and gently create a cavity for your filling. Spoon 1 tsp of filling into the cavity and use your thumb and index finger to pinch and seal the sheet to create a potli shape. Repeat the process until all of the filling and dough has been used. 
5. Heat your frying oil in a large wok to 140-150°C. Fry for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove from the oil and place over a sieve or on a plate lined with paper towels. Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to your serving plate. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with sweet chilli sauce.

 

Celebrate Diwali with SBS

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

The potli resembles a money bag and in my opinion you get the best crunch-to-filling ratio with this shape. Auspiciously the money bag is believed to be a symbol of abundance and good fortune which is very fitting for any celebration. These Chinese Potli Samosas will be a memorable addition to your Diwali celebrations and are great for feeding a group!