Chicken Samosas-Cilantro-Yogurt Dip
Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, is one of our favorite flavor makers and is owner of 18 restaurants around the world, pioneered Asian-fusion cuisine and cooks this food better than anyone on the planet. In Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges, he presents dozens of recipes for reproducing the dishes that have made his restaurants; Vong, Spice Market, and 66 some of the hottest dining destinations in New York City.
Luckily we have Kauai Grill on Kauai’s North Shore in the St. Regis hotel. We go often and one of our favorite appetizers are these savory, sublime “Chicken Samosa’s with a Cilantro Yogurt Dip Sauce”.
Cilantro-Yogurt Dip
Put the whole cumin seeds in a small skillet and set over medium heat. Toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant and browned. The seeds will start to pop. Remove from the heat, cool completely, and grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder.
Place the cilantro leaves and chili in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the yogurt, lemon juice, sugar, and ½ teaspoon of the finely ground cumin. Stir well, season with salt, pepper, and more sugar to taste, and set aside.
Samosas
Put the oil in a large deep skillet and set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent and softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute, then add the coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and remaining ground cumin and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they begin to break down, 5 minutes, and stir in the tamarind paste. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until the meat is completely cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and cool to room temperature.
Put one of the spring roll wrapper rectangles on your work surface so that the short side is facing you. Put 2 tablespoons of the filling ¼ inch from the bottom of the rectangle, then fold the bottom left corner over the filling so that the bottom edge meets the right edge to form a triangle. Press the edges to seal, then fold the triangle over the top edge and continue to fold along the edges to create a triangle. Seal the end of the spring roll wrapper with a little water. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches in a heavy, deep saucepan and heat to 350°F. Carefully add the samosas and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Do not overcrowd; work in batches if necessary. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with the cilantro-yogurt dip.
Chicken Samosas-Cilantro-Yogurt Dip
Spring roll wrappers are easy and make a perfectly light and flaky shell. The highly spiced filling pairs perfectly with the cooling cilantro-yogurt dip.
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
Cilantro-Yogurt Dip
- 1½ tablespoons whole cumin seeds
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 small fresh green Thai chile, sliced
- ¾ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar, plus more to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Samosas
- 2 tablespoons grape seed, corn, or other neutral oil, plus more for deep-frying
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds, finely ground
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1 pound of ground chicken or boneless, skinless chicken breasts, finely minced (not pureed)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Four 8-inch square spring roll wrappers
Instructions
Cilantro-Yogurt Dip
- Put the whole cumin seeds in a small skillet and set over medium heat. Toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until fragrant and browned. The seeds will start to pop. Remove from the heat, cool completely, and grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder.
- Place the cilantro leaves and chile in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the yogurt, lemon juice, sugar, and ½ teaspoon of the finely ground cumin. Stir well, season with salt, pepper, and more sugar to taste, and set aside.
Samosas
- Put the oil in a large deep skillet and set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent and softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute, then add the coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and remaining ground cumin and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they begin to break down, 5 minutes, and stir in the tamarind paste. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until the meat is completely cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and cool to room temperature.
- Put one of the spring roll wrapper rectangles on your work surface so that the short side is facing you. Put 2 tablespoons of the filling ¼ inch from the bottom of the rectangle, then fold the bottom left corner over the filling so that the bottom edge meets the right edge to form a triangle. Press the edges to seal, then fold the triangle over the top edge and continue to fold along the edges to create a triangle. Seal the end of the spring roll wrapper with a little water. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
- Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches in a heavy, deep saucepan and heat to 350°F. Carefully add the samosas and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Do not overcrowd; work in batches if necessary. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with the cilantro-yogurt dip.
Notes
Attributed To | Jean-Georges Vongerichten