A samosa or samoosa is a fried or baked pastry with savory filling, such as spiced potatoes, onions, peas, lentils and also with ground meat (lamb, beef or chicken). They may or may not also contain pine nuts. The samosa originated in the Middle East (where it is known as sambosa) prior to the 10th century. They were introduced to the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan) during the Muslim Delhi Sultanate when cooks from Middle East and Central Asia migrated to work in the kitchens of the Sultan and the nobility. Its size and consistency may vary, but typically it is distinctly triangular or tetrahedral in shape. Indian samosas are usually vegetarian, and often accompanied by a mint sauce or chutney. Vegetarian samosas originated in Uttar Pradesh. Samosas are a popular entree appetizer or snack in the local cuisines of Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Southwest Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Mediterranean, the Horn of Africa and North Africa. Due to cultural diffusion and emigration from these areas, samosas are today also prepared in other regions.
