Sambusa, a pastry filled with lentils or beef, bears resemblance to the Indian samosa and holds a special place in many Ethiopians’ hearts as a cherished snack. In fact, it remains a favorite to this day, commonly enjoyed as an appetizer or snack in many Ethiopian restaurants around the world.
Equipment Recommendations for Making Misir Sambusa
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Misir Sambusa Recipe: How to Make Ethiopian Lentil Samosa
Sambusa, a pastry filled with lentils or beef, bears resemblance to the Indian samosa and holds a special place in many Ethiopians’ hearts as a cherished snack. In fact, it remains a favorite to this day, commonly enjoyed as an appetizer or snack in many Ethiopian restaurants around the world.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Fry/Sauté/Fold
- Cuisine: Ethiopian
- Diet: Vegetarian
- Place the lentils in a pot, add enough water to cover them by 2 inches, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are al dente, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.
- In a skillet, combine diced onions and oil. Cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in jalapeños, garlic, and ginger. Cook to soften slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked lentils and ground coriander, ensuring that the coriander does not clump. Turn down the heat to low, add salt and pepper to taste, and stir. Cover the pot and let it cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are fully cooked, 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Working with one egg roll wrapper at a time, fold each sheet into a cone and add 2 tablespoons of lentils. Fold in the top edges of the wrapper to close it, brush a little water along each edge, and seal. Repeat the process with the remaining wrappers and filling.
- Heat 4 cups of vegetable oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot over high heat, bringing it to 365°F.
- Deep-fry a few lentil sambusas at a time, ensuring they are submerged in the oil and gently turning them to cook evenly on each side. Allow the oil to return to temperature between batches.
- Once golden brown (about 5 minutes), use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pot and place on paper towels or parchment paper to drain excess oil.
- Serve the lentil sambusas while warm, optionally with a side of sauce such as awaze or kochkocha, or enjoy them on their own.
Notes
- For a meat version (siga sambusa), substitute lentils with 1 pound of ground beef. Cook the ground beef in water until rare/medium-rare, then follow the method above from paragraph 2 to the end.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 75g
- Calories: 200-220 kcal
- Sugar: 2-3g
- Sodium: 300-350mg
- Fat: 12-14g
- Saturated Fat: 1-2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10-12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18-20g
- Fiber: 3-4g
- Protein: 4-5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg