Sweet Potato Superpower Samosas
Sweet Potato Superpower Samosas
Are you ready to cook up a tasty, savory snack—samosas? Think of samosas as crispy golden pyramids of stuffed pastry! You might think of samosas as part of Indian cuisine, and you would be correct; however, they are also made in other South Asian countries and originated in the Middle East.
We're adding a sweet potato filling to our samosas. Sweet potatoes are frequently used in Indian cooking. Try dipping your samosas in our Indian Mint Chutney!
Happy & Healthy Cooking,
Fun-Da-Mentals Kitchen Skills
- chop :
to cut something into small, rough pieces using a blade.
- fry :
to fry in a pan in a small amount of fat.
- knife skills :
Bear Claw (growl), Pinch, Plank, and Bridge (look out for trolls).
- measure :
to calculate the specific amount of an ingredient required using a measuring tool (like measuring cups or spoons).
- mix :
to thoroughly combine two or more ingredients until uniform in texture.
- sauté :
to cook or brown food in a pan containing a small quantity of butter, oil, or other fat.
Equipment Checklist
- Nonstick skillet
- Medium mixing bowl
- Dry measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Liquid measuring cup
- Clean damp kitchen cloth or paper towel
- Can opener
- Cutting board
- Kid-safe knife
- Wooden spoon
- Heat-resistant spatula or tongs
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Superpower Samosas
- Dough:
- 1 C all-purpose flour **(for GLUTEN ALLERGY sub gluten-free/nut-free all-purpose flour)**
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 T vegetable oil ** + more for cooking
- water to make a stiff dough
- Filling:
- 1 C canned unsweetened cut sweet potatoes or yams
- 1 green onion
- 1/4 lemon
- 1 T vegetable oil **
- 1 tsp mild curry powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
Food Allergen Substitutions
Sweet Potato Superpower Samosas
- Gluten/Wheat: Substitute gluten-free/nut-free all-purpose flour.
- Soy: Substitute canola oil or other nut-free high-smoking point oil for vegetable oil.
Instructions
Sweet Potato Superpower Samosas
measure + mix
Time to make the samosa dough! In a medium mixing bowl, have kids measure 1 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and mix together nicely with fingertips. Count to 10 in Hindi while mixing: 1 ek (ehk), 2 do (doh), 3 teen (theen), 4 chaar (chahr), 5 paanch (pahnch), 6 chhe (tcheh), 7 saat (saht), 8 aaht (aht), 9 nau (noh), 10 dash (duhss).
add + cover + rest
The flour should be well mixed with the oil. This will make crispy samosas! Then, add water a little at a time to make a stiff dough. Cover the dough with a damp cloth (to prevent it from drying) and let it rest for 5 to 20 minutes. In the meantime, the kids can prepare the filling.
chop + squeeze
Have kids chop 1 cup cooked sweet potatoes and 1 green onion into small bits. Squeeze the juice from 1/4 lemon over the top of the chopped sweet potatoes.
sauté + add + stir
Sauté the chopped green onion in a skillet with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown. Add 1 teaspoon mild curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 pinch of black pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Then, stir in the chopped sweet potatoes and turn off the skillet. Mix well and let cool.
roll + cut + fill + seal
Roll out the dough until it is very flat and have kids cut out triangles. Place a heaping tablespoon of the potato mixture into the center of each triangle of dough. Have kids gather the corners of the dough and pinch to form a point. Pinch all of the seams to seal.
heat + fry
Adults heat some vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat on your stovetop. Add the samosas and fry on each side for about 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm and dip into a chutney, like our Indian Mint Chutney!
Hi! I’m Sweet Potato!
"Sweet potatoes are root vegetables, like beets and carrots! We're very popular in the Fall, especially for holiday dinners, where you might find us baked whole or sliced and diced as part of a side dish. We also pair well with fruit and other vegetables in salads and casseroles."
History
- The sweet potato originated in Central or South America, and people began cultivating them in Central America at least 5,000 years ago.
- Sweet potatoes have been grown in Peru for almost 3,000 years and remain one of the major crops for people in Peru.
- When Columbus arrived in the New World, Native Americans were already growing and utilizing sweet potatoes. Columbus brought sweet potatoes back to Europe, and other explorers brought them from the New World to Asia.
- Sweet potatoes were cultivated widely in Colonial America and were a significant form of sustenance for farmers and soldiers during the Revolutionary War.
- As far as records show, orange sweet potatoes originally came from Puerto Rico and were named "yams" by Louisiana farmers to differentiate them from the white-fleshed variety grown in other parts of the country. Indeed, the sweet potato is officially the state vegetable of Louisiana! It's also North Carolina's official state vegetable.
- George Washington grew sweet potatoes on his estate at Mount Vernon, Virginia.
- North American supermarkets import much of their sweet potatoes from the Caribbean.
- February is National Sweet Potato month!
Anatomy & Etymology
- Sweet potatoes are edible roots, not tubers like potatoes. Actually, sweet potatoes aren't related to potatoes but are part of the Morning Glory family. Plants from this family produce beautiful flowers whose seeds were revered for their laxative properties by the Chinese.
- The flesh of sweet potatoes can be white, yellow, orange, or even purple!
- Enslaved African-Аmericans called the sweet potato "nyami" because it reminded them of the starchy, edible tuber from their homeland. "Nyami" is a Senegalese word that was eventually shortened to "yam." Sweet potatoes are often confused with yams, and this is why!
How to Pick, Buy, & Eat
- Sweet potatoes are eaten by people worldwide as they are a hearty crop that packs a lot of nutrition.
- It's best to store sweet potatoes in cool, dark, and dry places. They won't last as long in the fridge.
- Small, firm sweet potatoes tend to be sweeter and creamier. Large sweet potatoes contain more starch, as they've had more time to grow and develop the starches. Look for smooth, firm, even skin.
- Sweet potatoes should be cooked, not eaten raw. You can use them in many savory and sweet recipes.
- Sweet potatoes make an excellent side dish—you can bake, mash, or boil them—and their nutritional benefits are increased when combined with healthy fats, like avocado, butter, or olive oil!
- If they had their say, sweet potatoes might like to be known as everyday veggies rather than just for special occasions. For example, we in the United States eat more sweet potatoes around Thanksgiving than at any other time. But sweet potatoes are available year-round and should be enjoyed more often because of their benefits!
Nutrition
- Sweet potatoes are very nutritious! Their color can tell us which nutrients they contain (like many vegetables and fruits!).
- If a sweet potato is orange, it contains beta-carotene (other orange foods that contain this nutrient include carrots, shrimp, and oranges). Can you hear the name of a familiar vegetable in the word "beta-carotene?" Carrot! We know that beta-carotene is good for our eyes and skin. Have you ever been asked to eat your carrots because they are good for your eyes? Beta-carotene is why!
- Sweet potatoes also have vitamin K, which helps our blood clot. When we get a cut, our blood clots to stop the bleeding, and vitamin K helps with this!
- We often talk about fiber when we reveal our Surprise Ingredients because vegetables and fruits contain a lot of fiber. Sweet potatoes are no exception. So what does fiber help with? Digestion! And which body parts are responsible for digestion? Many, but namely our stomach and intestines.
What are Samosas?
- Samosas are popular snacks or appetizers in the South Asian countries of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. However, although samosas are often thought of as coming from South Asia, especially India, they may have originated in the Middle East. They were mentioned in Persian writings in the 10th century. The word "samosa" comes from the Persian word "sambosag."
- Samosas are triangle-shaped filled pastries. Typical fillings for Indian samosas include cooked diced potatoes, onions, peas, lentils, ginger, green chilis, and other spices. They are deep-fried in cooking oil or ghee (clarified butter) and may be served with chutney and yogurt.
- In Eastern India, samosas are called "singaras" or "shingaras" and are smaller than samosas. They may be filled with cooked potatoes, cauliflower, and peanuts. Both samosas and singaras can have savory or sweet fillings.
Let's Learn About India!
- India is a country in South Asia and is officially called the Republic of India. It is the second-most populous country in the world and has the largest population of any democratic nation.
- Hindi and English are official languages, and there are 447 native languages spoken in India.
- India's government includes a president, prime minister, and parliament. Twenty-eight states and eight union territories make up India's federal union.
- India's currency is the Indian "rupee." It is illegal for foreigners to take rupees out of India.
- Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the Taj Mahal's construction in 1632 for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
- The anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's birthday is celebrated on October 2. He is considered India's "Father of the Nation" and led the Indian people to independence from 89 years of British rule in 1947. Gandhi's peaceful protest movement inspired many people in other countries.
- India's national symbols are the lotus flower, the Bengal tiger, and the peacock.
- Some of the world's highest mountains are in India, including Kanchenjunga, the third tallest at 28,169 feet.
- The Bay of Bengal is a huge bay bordering the southeastern part of India and is home to the world's largest mangrove forest. Here, tigers swim in the same waters as dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, and saltwater crocodiles.
- The snow leopard, the Indian rhinoceros, the Bengal tiger, and the Asian elephant are all animals of India. Globally, it is the only country that has both lions and tigers.
- The most popular sport in India is cricket!
- It is hot in India, so people there often wear loose clothes. Traditional clothing differs by area in India. Women may wear saris, long pieces of colorful cotton or silk draped over and around the body like a dress. Men may wear a dhoti, made of material wrapped around the hips and pulled through the legs, somewhat resembling loose pants, although they aren't seen in cities much anymore. Photos of Gandhi show him wearing dhotis.
- Seventy percent of the world's spices come from India.
- Staple foods in India include lentils, rice, bread, and spices. People living on the coast eat more fish and seafood. In other regions, they eat chicken, beef, and game meats. Many people throughout India are vegetarians. Common fruits and vegetables are mangoes, apples, oranges, pineapples, bananas, onions, okra, potatoes, spinach, and carrots.
- Curries are popular dishes in India and are made with a variety of vegetables, fish, meat, and fruits, and spices.
- When people greet each other in India, as a sign of respect, they bow, placing their hands together before their chest or face, and say "Namaste," which translates to "I bow to the divine in you."
What's It Like to Be a Kid in India?
- Indian parents are encouraged to start their kids in preschool at 2½ to 3 years old. School is usually taught in a particular state's language, which could be Hindi, English, or another language.
- Kids often have their grandparents living with them in the family household.
- Along with cricket, tennis, badminton, and chess, kids may play traditional Indian games like kabaddi or kho-kho, both played by teams, or kancha, a marble game played individually or with others.
- Kids enjoy the Holi festival, which is a religious celebration that also heralds the arrival of spring. Celebrated in various ways throughout the country, most versions include the joyous spraying and throwing of colorful powders by festival participants at one another.
That's Berry Funny
How do you describe an angry sweet potato?
Boiling Mad.
THYME for a Laugh
What do you call a baby sweet potato?
A small fry!
That's Berry Funny
Why do sweet potatoes make good detectives?
Because they keep their eyes peeled.
Lettuce Joke Around
What did the sweet potato say to the potato?
"What yam I?"
THYME for a Laugh
"Why should I be careful not to drop my samosa?"
"Because you might hurt its fillings!
