The History of Samosas

Samosas have their roots in the ancient empires that emerged on the Iranian plateau at the dawn of civilization. While we don’t know who first made these triangular pastries, we do know that the origins of the word “samosa” are Persian (“sanbosag”). Samosas were first mentioned in writing by the Persian historian Abul-Fazl Beyhaqi in the 11th century. He described a dainty snack served as a delicacy in the courts of the Ghaznavid empire; it was reportedly filled with minced meats, nuts, and dried fruits, then fried until crispy. The samosa was brought to India through Central Asia and modern-day Afghanistan. By the time it reached what is now Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the samosa had metamorphosed from a courtly dish to a humble peasant’s meal. It was generally much larger — so that it was calorific enough for shepherds to take out to the pastures with them — and filled with chopped goat or lamb, onions, and salt. Once it arrived on the Indian subcontinent, the samosa was once again transformed to fit local tastes; it was at this point that spices like coriander, pepper, caraway seeds, and ginger became staple flavorings. In many cases, the meat fillings were also replaced with vegetables. In the 16th century, Portuguese traders introduced potatoes and green chilies from the New World; these quickly became staples in Indian cooking, and samosas were no exception. When the British took over the Indian subcontinent, they spread samosas across their vast empire. The Indian diaspora also spread samosas all around the world, and today, these ancient snacks are enjoyed in nearly every country. And incredibly, samosas are still evolving — in India, samosas are highly diverse, and each family, shop, and region has their own distinct recipe for this storied dish.