Cooking with Ummhashim Series 5: Somali Sambusa.

So Ramadan is like almost 2 to 3 months away. As an obligatory tradition in every Somali household, Sambusa has to been made for every time we break out fast. It is a pillar in our dinner table during the holy Islamic month.

I have had several of my non-Somali friends asked me how to make this delicate but tasty pastry.

Here is how make using spring roll wraps:

Ingredients:


1 (14 ounce) package spring roll wrappers
2 pounds ground beef
2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 green chilly pepper, finely chopped (if desired)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon water, or as needed
1 quart oil for frying

Directions:

1. In a medium size cooking pan, cook the ground beef and cook it until all the meat is seperated into little pieces. After it finish cooking, take it off the stove and let it cool down.

2. After the ground beef cools down, in the same pan add the onions and mix it well. then season it with cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and add the green chilly pepper, to you desire.

3. In a small dish or cup, mix together the flour and water to make a thin paste. Using one wrapper at a time, fold into the shape of triangle. Then take one side of the triangle and fold it. Then use the thin paste as an adhesive by putting it on top of the folded side of the wrapper and overlap the corresponding side to create a cone.

4. Fill the cone with the meat mixture, fold in any parts of the overlaping sides inside, like you are covering the place you just filled with the meat mixture.

5. Put the thin paste of flour on the top and close the top, fill in any gaps with the paste. Repeat until wraps or filling are used up.

6. Heat the oil to 365 degrees F ( 170 degrees C) in a deep-fryer or deep heavy pot. There should be enough oil to submerge the wraps. Fry the Sambusa a few at a time until golden brown. Remove carefully to drain on paper towels.

I hope you enjoy it,

Bon appetit!