Myanmar Samosa Salad (Samusa Thoke)
ဆမူဆာသုပ် Samusa thokeSay it: sah-MOO-sah TOKE
Samusa thoke is Yangon’s beloved street-side samosa salad: crisp triangular samosas chopped into bite-size pieces and tossed with shredded cabbage, mint, coriander, red onion and tomato. A warm, lightly crushed chickpea soup is spooned over the top, then a tart tamarind-chili dressing, roasted peanuts and fried shallots go on last. The result is crunchy, creamy, sour and spicy all at once — a filling snack or light meal sold in markets and tea shops, especially in the afternoons.
Myanmar Samosa Salad (Samusa Thoke)
ဆမူဆာသုပ်, Samusa thoke
Pronounced sah-MOO-sah TOKE
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr 25 min
- Level
- Medium
Also egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, peanuts. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the samosa dough
For the samosa filling
For the chickpea soup
For the dressing
For the salad and garnish
Method
For the dough, mix the flour and salt in a bowl, rub in the oil until sandy, then add the water a little at a time and knead to a smooth, firm dough. Cover and rest for 30 minutes while you make the filling and soup.
Boil the potatoes until tender, then drain and dice. Heat the filling oil in a pan, soften the onion, garlic and ginger, stir in turmeric, cumin and coriander, then fold in the peas, potatoes and salt and cook 2 minutes; cool completely.
For the chickpea soup, heat the oil in a saucepan and soften the onion and garlic. Add turmeric, chickpeas, water and salt, simmer 15 minutes, then crush about one-third of the chickpeas against the side of the pan to thicken the broth; keep warm.
Divide the dough into 8 balls, roll each into a thin oval, cut in half, and shape each half into a cone. Fill with 1 heaped tablespoon of potato filling, brush the edges with water, and seal into triangles.
Heat the frying oil to 350°F (175°C) and fry the samosas in batches for 4–5 minutes, turning, until deep golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
Whisk the tamarind paste, lime juice, oil, chili flakes, sugar, salt and water into a pourable dressing; taste and adjust with more lime or sugar if needed.
In a wide bowl, layer the shredded cabbage, mint, coriander, red onion and tomato.
Roughly chop the warm samosas into bite-size pieces and add them to the bowl. Pour the warm chickpea soup over, drizzle with dressing, scatter with crushed peanuts and fried shallots, and serve at once with lime wedges, tossing gently at the table.
Regional variants
Many Yangon vendors use ready-made vegetable samosas and add boiled potato or chickpea fritters; some versions include a spoonful of garlic oil or extra chili.
Cook's notes
- Fry the samosas just before assembly so they stay crisp under the soup.
- Crush only part of the chickpeas so the soup stays brothy rather than thick.
- Toss gently at the table; the salad should be mixed and messy, not mashed.
Serve with
Serve immediately with lime wedges and hot green tea.
Make ahead and storage
Fry samosas and cook soup up to 1 day ahead; reheat soup and assemble just before serving.
