One May Day in Carolingia, I knew that I, an Englisshwoman, would be dining with foreigners, to wit, Lakshmi Amman, a Hindoo, and Aleksandr Ruslanovich, a Rus. I took it uppon myself to make disshes from all our native lands. For Lakshmi I made Sanbusa, a pasty of lamb. For Aleksandr I cook'd a disshe of chycken with sauce of garlicke and wallnuts from the Caucausian Mountaines and for myself, Olives of veal. It was needed that I tell Lakshmi that veal was an Englisshe animal, completely unrelated to her sacred cowe, so that she would eat of them.* The Sanbusa was well pleasing to us all and the receipt is thus.
Qutab or Sanbusa
Qutab, which the people of Hind call sanbusa: This is made in several ways. 10 s. meat; 4 s. fine flour; 2 s. ghee; 1 s. onions; 1/4 s. fresh ginger; 1/2 s. salt; 2 d. pepper and coriander seed; cardamons, cumin seed, cloves, 1 d. of each; 1/4 s. of summaq. This can be cooked in twenty different ways, and gives four full dishes.
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1 cup white flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 4 tablespoons ghee 4 tablespoons water |
1 lb. ground lamb 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper |
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 oz sumac 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon |
Mix the flours, cut in the ghee; continue until it is finely cut in. Sprinkle on water (use more if needed) and knead to a smooth dough. Shape into a ball, rub with a little oil or melted ghee and let rest, covered, in a cool place for about half an hour
Fry meat and onions in a skillet and add spices (I didn't have any sumac). Drain fat.
Knead the dough again and divide into 8 balls. Keep 7 covered. Roll out one ball into a 7-inch circle. Cut the circle in half and fold the stright edge together to make a cone. Pinch the edge and use a little water to make a strong seam. Fill the cone with the meat. Seal the top edge using a little water. Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake at 350F for 10 minutes or until the dough is cooked. Traditionally samosas are fried, but I find them too greasy and besides, the recipe says it can be cooked in 20 different ways.
Makes 16
Friedman, David and Elizabeth Cook [Cariadoc and Elizabeth, pseud.] A Miscellany (9th Edition).*No actual Hindus were harmed in the making of this lunch. Lakshmi isn’t really Hindu and knows perfectly well that veal comes from cows.
Copyright 2002 Abigail Weiner