What is inside
What is inside Samosa?
Samosa is a crisp triangular pastry filled with spiced potatoes and peas. Here is what is inside it, layer by layer, and why each one is there.
From the Tapri Chai kitchen · November 2026 · 3 min read
Layers
4 in all
Key ingredient
Spiced potato and peas
Heat
Mild to medium
Served
Hot, with chutney
The 4 layers of Samosa
Samosa is built from 4 parts. They are listed in the order you meet them, and the numbers match the diagram.
The crisp shell
A thin, blistered pastry of refined flour, oil and a little carom seed, rolled thin, folded into a cone and fried until crisp and golden.
The spiced filling
Boiled potato and green peas cooked with cumin, coriander, ginger, green chilli and a touch of dried mango powder for tang.
The sealed edge
The cone is closed with a flour paste and pinched, so the filling stays inside while it fries.
The chutneys
Green mint-coriander chutney for heat and sweet tamarind chutney for balance, served alongside.
01
What it is made of
A samosa is simple on paper: pastry, potato filling and hot oil. The skill is in the dough, which has to be firm enough to blister and crisp instead of turning soft and greasy.
- Refined flour pastry
- Potato
- Green peas
- Cumin and coriander
- Ginger and green chilli
- Dried mango powder (amchur)
- Oil for frying
02
How the layers work together
The first bite shatters. Inside, the potato is soft and savoury with a slight tang, the peas add sweetness and the spices build slowly. The chutneys bring sweet, sour and heat that the filling leaves open on purpose.
03
Where it comes from
The samosa is eaten across South Asia, the Middle East and East Africa, and similar triangular pastries appear in many cuisines. The Indian potato-and-pea version is the form most people know. Its exact origin is debated, and the story that it travelled along trade routes is the commonly told one.
04
Variations and other names
Beyond the classic, samosas change by region and by cook:
- Punjabi samosa: large, with a thick crisp shell and a potato and pea filling.
- Mini samosas: small and often filled with onion or lentils, popular at parties.
- Samosa chaat: a samosa crushed and topped with yogurt and chutneys.
- Baked samosa: a lighter version with a softer, drier shell.
05
How to eat it
Eat it hot, straight from the fryer if you can. Break the top open, dab in some green and tamarind chutney, and take a bite. Many people dunk it in chai, which softens the pastry and mellows the spice.
06
Samosa at Tapri Chai
Samosas (x2) is $4.99 CAD on our menu. We make it in a 100% vegetarian kitchen at 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Barrhaven, Ottawa, open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm, closed Mondays.
Questions, answered.
What is Samosa made of?
Samosa is made of refined flour pastry, potato, green peas, cumin and coriander, ginger and green chilli, dried mango powder (amchur) and oil for frying.
How many layers does Samosa have?
Traditionally 4: the crisp shell, the spiced filling, the sealed edge and the chutneys.
Is Samosa vegetarian?
Yes. The traditional recipe is vegetarian, and every dish at Tapri Chai is vegetarian.
Is Samosa spicy?
It is mild to medium. The heat comes mainly from green chilli in the filling, and the chutney lets you add more.
Where can I try Samosa in Ottawa?
At Tapri Chai, 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Barrhaven, Ottawa. Samosas (x2) is $4.99 CAD on our menu.
At Tapri Chai
Taste it for yourself.
Our kitchen in Barrhaven is 100% vegetarian. 200 Kennevale Dr Unit 104, Ottawa. Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 11pm. Closed Mondays.