Samosa Chaat Phyllo Cups - Airfryer/ Oven

These Samosa Chaat Phyllo Cups are a bite-size version of the popular Indian street food. Potatoes, onions, chili, peas and spices are filled into delicate Phyllo cups and baked until golden brown and crisp, in the AirFryer, oven or using a Crisplid!

Easy Crowd-pleasing Appetizer - Baked Samosa Chaat

Today, we are taking the filling of a samosa and the idea of chaat and turning it into a flavor-packed, bite-size appetizer. You can also call it a 'deconstructed baked Samosa Chaat'!

In this samosa chaat recipe, I got some help from frozen phyllo shells, that are available in most supermarkets. They easily crisp up using the Oven, AirFryer or Instant Pot with a Crisplid, and have the similar crispy crunchy texture as a traditional samosa shell.

I garnish each little phyllo cup with ¼ teaspoon of cilantro and tamarind chutney, thin sev, fresh cilantro and pomegranate seeds which add a bright, sweet, tart flavor at the very end.

These vibrant little bites are packed with tons of flavor, and they make a great conversation starter 🙂 The best part is that they are finger-food, so no extra plates or flatware required. A cocktail napkin is all you need to serve these beauties!

What is a Samosa?

A Samosa is a savory-filled pastry that can be either fried or baked. It first appeared in India in the 1300s under the name samsa, named for its triangular shape after the pyramids of Central Asia.

After a diffusion through many cultures and continents, the samosa eventually made its way back to India, where it had been transformed from region to region. That's why today, a samosa is incredibly diverse.

The filling can be made of spiced potatoes, meat, peas or lentils. It is then wrapped in a thin sheet of dough made with all purpose flour, mostly in a triangular shape, and deep-fried.

What's In A Samosa?

A samosa filling is generally a mixture of boiled mashed potatoes, onions, green chili, ginger, green peas and an array of Indian spices. Again, this all depends on the region in which they are made. Another common filling is Indian spiced ground meat, called keema.

What Does Chaat Mean?

Chaat is an Indian term that refers to any savory snack food, usually those you can find at road-side food stalls or food carts. It covers a wide variety of mouth-watering dishes, including Paani Puri, Papdi Chaat, Dahi Bhalla chaat, Matar chaat, Aloo Tikki, just to name a few, and is perhaps the most widely consumed street food in India.

With that thought, let's get started on this delicious 'deconstructed' take on another popular chaat item, Samosa!

Ingredients for Samosa Chaat Phyllo Cups

The list of ingredients may look long, but we are taking a bit of help from the grocery store with frozen phyllo cups. You will need:

• Frozen Phyllo Shells: You can easily find pre-made frozen phyllo shells in the freezer section of most grocery stores today. It's like a ready-made samosa pastry. Each box comes with 15 shells, the amount required for this recipe.
• Potatoes: I specify two gold potatoes for their creamy, buttery texture, but feel free to use one large russet potato if that is all you have on hand. Note, the potato filling will be a bit more starchy.
• Avocado Oil: Either avocado or olive oil will do. You want a mild-flavored vegetable oil.
• Cumin Seeds: Whole cumin seeds impart a natural, smokey flavor that makes a classic samosa filling. When you begin to hear the cumin seeds sizzle in the oil, you know they're ready.
• Onion: Either a white or yellow onion will do. You will only need about ⅓ of the onion, so store the remaining onion in an airtight container in the fridge and save for another recipe.
• Jalapeno: Make sure to deseed the jalapeno prior to chopping. However, if you would like the potato filling a bit spicy, leave the seeds and ribs intact.
• Ginger: Fresh ginger works best for this recipe. Peel the ginger root with the edge of a spoon and grate the 2 teaspoons needed for this recipe. If you can't find fresh ginger, you can also use thawed frozen ginger cubes from the frozen food section. Tip: If you're not going to use the fresh ginger for another recipe soon, peel the whole root, place the remaining ginger in a ziptop freezer storage bag, seal tight, label, date and store in your freezer. Whenever you have a recipe that calls for fresh ginger, simply grate from frozen.
• Frozen Peas: Remove ⅓ cup frozen peas from the freezer while you are prepping the remaining ingredients. This gives the peas enough time to thaw to room temperature. (You can also microwave them for 30-40 seconds).
• Cilantro: Fresh cilantro is needed in both the filling and the garnish. Chop extra and reserve it for sprinkling at the end.
• Spices for the Samosa Filling:
  • Salt
  • Ground Coriander
  • Garam Masala
  • Red Chili Powder (or cayenne)
  • Amchur (dried mango powder)
  • Chaat Masala
• Garnish: This includes both Cilantro and Tamarind chutneys, thin sev (bhujiva), fresh cilantro + pomegranate seeds. Tamarind chutney and thin Sev can be bought from an Indian grocery store, or Amazon. Here's an easy recipe for Cilantro Chutney.

What Can I Substitute For Amchur?

Amchur, also known as Amchoor or Aamchur, is a fruity spice powder made from dried, unripe, green mangos. Today, you can find it in the global section of most supermarkets, any specialty Indian or Pakistani market or online.

If amchur is not available, to make up for it's bright, citrusy flavor, use 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice in place of the ½ teaspoon needed for this recipe.

How To Make Samosa Chaat Phyllo Cups in the Oven, AirFryer or Crisplid

Here is a breakdown of how to make these phyllo cups stuffed with samosa chaat in either the Oven, AirFryer or Crisplid.

Each begins with the same process of boiling the potatoes and preparing the potato filling, but baking temperature and time will vary for each method.

How To Make the Samosa Chaat Potato Filling

Step 1: Boil Potatoes

First, you must boil the potatoes in either the Instant Pot or Microwave.

• Instant Pot: Place trivet in the inner pot. Pour 1 cup water and place potatoes on the trivet. Pressure cook for 6 mins, high pressure. If using russet potato, increase time to 8-10 mins, depending on size. You can find a more detailed process here.
• Microwave: Poke potatoes with a fork. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the potatoes and fill the bowl halfway through with water. Cook the potatoes using the 'Potatoes preset", or for 7 minutes at HIGH temperature. Check for doneness. If still not done, microwave for another 2 minutes.
• When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and mash them. Keep aside.

Step 2: Prepare Filling

Once the potatoes are cooked, begin by making the samosa chaat filling:

• Heat a non-stick pan on medium-high heat for 30-45 seconds. Add oil and cumin seeds (steps 1 & 2).
• When you hear the cumin seeds begin to sizzle, add chopped onion and jalapeno (steps 3 & 4). Saute for 2-3 minutes.

• Stir in finely chopped ginger, salt, coriander, garam masala, red chili powder and Amchur Turn off the heat. (steps 5 & 6).
• Add mashed potatoes and mix everything to combine (step 7). Then, add thawed peas and chopped cilantro (step 8).

• Finally, add Chaat Masala. Mix well and set aside (steps 9 & 10). At this point, the filling is ready.

Step 3: Fill and Bake

• Remove the phyllo cups from the freezer, fill each one with 1.5-2 teaspoons of filling (pic 1) and bake them in one of three ways until golden brown.

Samosa Chaat Phyllo Cups in the Oven

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the prepared phyllo cups on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. (Pic 2)

AirFryer Samosa Chaat Phyllo Cups Baking Method

• Spread them in the fryer basket in a single layer and air fry at 350°F for 5-6 mins. (Pic 3)

Samosa Chaat Phyllo Cups in Instant Pot with the Crisplid

• Place the tall trivet in the Instant Pot or Multipot's inner pot. Then, place the mesh basket and spread chaat cups in one even layer. Cover with the Crisplid and set it to 360 degrees F for 8 minutes. (pic 4)

How To Serve This Recipe For a Crowd

The Oven method works best for this simple appetizer for a party or get-together because the larger oven space allows you to bake multiple batches at a time.

I typically account for 3 phyllo cups per person, if there is another appetizer on the menu. As a standalone appetizer, consider 4-5 per person.

How Many Calories Does One Serving Have

One phyllo cup is 40 calories, but keep in mind this does not include garnishes, so each samosa may be a few calories more.

Oh, and they're too good to have just one!

Recipe Tips for Samosa Chaat Phyllo Cups

• Preheat the skillet for 30-45 seconds. A hot skillet ensures the cumin seeds release their natural oils and the onions and jalapeno release all those delicious juices.
• Turn off the heat before you add the ground spices. The residual heat in the skillet is enough to bloom the spices so that you release the natural oils without burning them.
• If substituting amchur, add 1 ½ tablespoons lemon or lime juice instead.
• Keep the phyllo cups frozen until ready to fill. If the phyllo cups become too warm, the butter between the layers will melt, preventing a delicate, light, flaky texture.
• Do not overfill the phyllo cups. You will get the best results if you fill each phyllo cup as even as possible. I fill mine with about 1.5 teaspoons of the potato filling.
• Serving Size: I account for 3 phyllo cups per person, if there is another appetizer on the menu. As a standalone appetizer, consider 4-5 per person.
• Easily double or triple the recipe. This recipe makes 15, but can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd. Use the oven method, as this allows you to bake multiple batches at one time.

More Indian Snack Food Recipes From My Kitchen

• Chicken Tikka Recipe - Oven/AirFryer/Crisplid
• Spicy Bombay Potatoes - Instant Pot/AirFryer/Oven
• Tandoori Fish Tikka - AirFryer/Oven/Crisplid
• Oven-Roasted Chickpeas
• Dahi-Bhalla Chaat
• Matar Chaat (Pigeon Peas Dip)

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