East African Samosa

Serves: 4–6 | Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time:

15–20 m

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 red onion, finely chopped

2–3 cloves garlic, minced

1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

1–2 green or red chilies, finely chopped (adjust to taste)

1 tsp ground cumin

Salt and black pepper to taste

Fresh cilantro, chopped (a generous handful)

Store-bought sambusa/samosa wraps (or spring roll pastry)

Oil for deep frying

Instructions

1.Brown the Beef:

2.In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef with a pinch of salt, black pepper, and half the ginger until the water evaporates and the beef is fully browned. Set aside and let it cool.

3.Build the Flavor:

4.Once cooled, mix in chopped red onion, garlic, cumin, remaining ginger, fresh cilantro, and chilies. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. The filling should be spicy, fragrant, and balanced.

5.Fold Your Samosas:

6.Take your pre-made wraps and fill each one with 1–2 tablespoons of the meat mixture. Fold into triangles, sealing the edges with water or flour paste.

7.Fry to Golden:

8.Deep-fry the samosas in hot oil until golden and crispy, about 2–3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

To Serve:

Enjoy hot with fresh lime wedges, a side of tamarind chutney, or plain yogurt. Best shared with good company and warm tea.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m feeling a little cloudy or cozy, my pick-me-up is always soup. Any kind. Tomato soup. Butternut squash. Onion. Or even a simple red kidney bean stew. Soup has this gentle power it warms you up, slows you down, and somehow... resets everything.

Today, I want to talk about two soups I absolutely love both. Made from simple ingredients that are probably sitting on your counter right now. These recipes are not from a French chef’s notebook but trust me, they taste like they could be. Let’s turn those tomatoes and onions into something special.