Irio Samosas

Irio is the ultimate East African comfort food, (a traditional mash made from potato, peas and corn) and Samosas are a celebration of Indian heritage from 19th-century colonial East Africa. Comforting and complex, this mash-up between Irio and Samosas is symbolic of East Africa’s bitter-sweet history. An appreciation of the travelled flavours and cultures. Crunch your way through their light, crispy exterior and delight in the soft, flavoursome Irio packed inside.

SERVES 6-8

IRIO
500g medium potatoes, peeled
3T vegetable oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1t salt
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup frozen sweet corn
1t paprika, ground

SAMOSAS
250g pack rectangular samosa wrappers
1T flour & water (equal parts), used to glue the samosas wrappers

IRIO: Wash, peel and cut the potatoes into small cubes. In a large pot, cook the potatoes in salted water. Once fork-tender (20-25 minutes) drain thoroughly and set aside. In a medium saucepan, sweat the sliced onions in the vegetable oil, stirring occasionally for 20-25 minutes, until soft and caramelised. Season with the salt and paprika and stir to combine. Combine the frozen peas and sweetcorn in a colander and run it under hot water to defrost. Drain. Add the drained peas, sweetcorn and potatoes into the pan with the onion and paprika. Stir the mixture for a few minutes to allow the peas and sweetcorn to cook through. Mash the contents of the pot with a potato masher or a wooden spoon until a rough mash forms. Set aside to cool.

ROLL AWAY: Mix the flour and water to make a paste and set aside. On a flat, clean surface, lay down a rectangular samosa wrapper. 1. Scoop 1t of the Irio mixture into one corner of the rectangle and 2. fold the corner over to form a triangle. 3-5. Continue this pattern of folding until you are left with a triangle package. Seal the end pieces with the flour and water paste to ensure no filling escapes while frying.