Spicy Potato Samosas (Alu Samosas - Singapore)

Makes about 48 trianglesA favorite Singaporean snack is the samosa, a traditional Indian savory pastry stuffed with spicy vegetables. This recipe comes from Singaporean Chinese cooks who make samosas with crispy spring roll wrappers rather than the traditional handmade flaky pastry dough.

To make the filling, place the potatoes in a saucepan, add water to cover generously and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain and let cool, then peel and cut into 1/4-inch (6-mm) dice.

In a nonstick wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the ghee or oil. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and sautâ until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, peas, carrots and chilies; gently mix with the onion mixture. Increase the heat to high and fry until the potatoes have a dry consistency, about 3 minutes longer. Season with the curry powder, turmeric, salt, sugar, cilantro and lemon juice. Stir together gently and remove from the heat. Set aside to cool.

Remove 16 spring roll wrappers from the package; freeze the remaining wrappers in an airtight plastic bag for another use. In a small bowl, mix the flour with the water to form a paste; set aside. Cut the spring roll wrappers into 3 equal strips. Cover the unused strips with a damp cloth. Lay 1 strip vertically to you on a work surface. Place a well-packed heaping tablespoon of the filling at the end nearest you. Pull the left-hand corner over the filling on the diagonal to the opposite (right) edge to create a 45-degree angle and corner. Fold up to enclose the top edge, then continue folding the bottom triangle toward the top edge, enclosing the filling completely. Brush the last flap of the triangle with the flour-water paste to seal the triangle. Set on a baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining strips and filling.

In a wok or deep frying pan over medium-high heat, pour in oil to a depth of at least 2 inches (5 cm) and heat to 375øF (190øC) on a deep-frying thermometer. Using a slotted spoon, gently lower several triangles into the oil, making sure they can float freely. Fry, turning as needed, until golden brown and crisp, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Serve the samosas hot with plum sauce for dipping.