singara recipe with step by step pics. singara also known as shingara is a popular tea time snack from bengal. the stuffing for the vegetarian version of singara is made from potatoes or cauliflower, potatoes and green peas.
making singara is similar to making samosa. so one can call it the bengali version of samosa. but let me tell you the taste is completely different and no where close to a punjabi samosa. so if you are expecting the taste of a punjabi samosa in a shingara, then your expectations will not be met. instead of the slight tanginess present in a regular samosa, you will get a hint of sweetness and crunchiness of peanuts along with the earthy taste of cauliflower and potatoes in a singara.
aloo phulkopir singara is also made during winters in bengal due to the arrival of seasonal veggies like cauliflower and green peas. so during winters cauliflower as well as green peas are added in singara. though in the recipe you can skip cauliflower and add more potatoes. green peas also can be skipped.
for this shingara recipe, i have used panch phoron. panch phoron is a mix of five spices –
- fenugreek seeds (methi)
- wild celery seeds (radhuni)
- fennel seeds (saunf)
- cumin seeds (jeera)
- nigella seeds (kalonji)
if you do not have panch phoran, then just add 2 pinches of these five spices. instead of wild celery seeds (radhuni) you can use carom seeds (ajwain) or mustard seeds (rai). for a detailed post about panch phoron you can check this post – panch phoron recipe
making this bengali samosa is simple but does take time. the recipe makes for 14 singaras. you can halve or double the recipe if you want.
singara is deep fried. if you do not want to deep fry, then you can even bake or air fry them. to make the singara, you can check the method posted in this recipe of baked aloo samosa.
serve aloo phulkopir singara as an evening tea time snack with green chutney or tamarind chutney or mint coriander chutney. also accompany a few fried green chilies by the side.
if you want to check more recipes from bengali cuisine then do check:
singara recipe
ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)
for aloo phulkopir stuffing
- 150 grams cauliflower or 1.5 cups tiny cauliflower florets (phool gobi)
- 225 grams potatoes or 3 medium potatoes or 1.25 cups small potato cubes
- 1 cup fresh green peas or 135 grams green peas (matar)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon panch phoron
- 1 medium onion - chopped or 60 grams chopped onions or ⅓ cup chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste or 1 inch ginger, crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
- ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder (dhania powder)
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder (jeera powder)
- 4 to 5 tablespoons water or add as required
- salt as required
- ¼ teaspoon sugar or add as required
- 3 tablespoons roasted peanuts or salted peanuts
for singara crust:
- 2 cups all purpose flour (maida)
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon salt or add as required
- ½ to ⅔ cup water or add as required
how to make singara recipe
making aloo phulkopir stuffing for singara recipe
rinse and then chop 150 grams cauliflower in tiny or small florets. you will need 1.5 cups small cauliflower florets.
rinse 1 cup fresh green peas and keep aside.
rinse, peel and chop 225 grams potatoes (3 medium potatoes) in small cubes. you will need 1.25 cups small potato cubes.
heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan.
add ½ teaspoon panch phoron.
let the spices become aromatic and splutter.
now add ⅓ cup chopped onions. stir and saute till the onions turn translucent.
then add 1 teaspoon ginger paste. mix and saute till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder and ½ teaspoon cumin powder. mix very well and saute for a few seconds.
add the chopped potatoes. mix and saute for 1 minute.
then add the chopped cauliflower and green peas. season with salt as per taste. mix very well.
add 4 to 5 tablespoons water and mix again.
cover the pan with a lid and simmer the veggies on a low to medium-low flame.
in between do check and if the veggies start sticking to the pan, then add a few more tablespoons of water.
simmer till the veggies are tender and cooked. then switch off the flame. just cook the veggies till tender. do not make them mushy or overcook them.
then add 3 tablespoons roasted peanuts or salted peanuts. also add ¼ teaspoon sugar.
mix well and let this aloo phulkopir stuffing cool at room temperature.
making singara dough
in a large parat (plate) or a bowl take 2 cups all purpose flour (maida). add 4 tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon salt or add as required.
mix the oil in the flour with your fingertips till you get a bread crumb like consistency in the flour.
when you press a portion of the mixture in your palm, it should hold together and not crumble.
now add ½ to ⅔ cup water or add as required. add water in parts.
knead to a smooth dough. the dough should be smooth but slightly firm. it should not be too smooth. cover the dough with a moist cloth or kitchen napkin and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
after 30 minutes, lightly knead the dough again and make a log. cut the dough log in 7 equal pieces. cover the pieces with a moist cloth or kitchen napkin.
assembling, stuffing and making singara recipe
take one dough piece and roll in a ball. flatten and keep on the rolling board (chakla).
with a rolling pin (belan) roll to a 7 to 8 inches round.
cut the rolled dough from the center. now with your fingertip or with a small brush spread water on the edges of one of the cut dough.
bring together the straight edge with one of its end overlapping a bit the other end. press and seal the edges. press the edges well, so that they get sealed. it will look like a cone.
now with a small spoon, stuff the potato filling in the samosa cone.
pinch a part in the edge and press both the sides. this helps the singaras to stand when placed on a tray.
make sure there are no cracks. the edges should be joined very well.
make all singaras this way. cover them with a moist cloth or kitchen napkin before you begin to fry them.
frying singara
heat oil for deep frying in a kadai on medium flame. add a small piece of the dough and it should come up gradually and steadily.
now gently add the singara (samosa). add 2 to 3 or 4 shingara depending on the size of the kadai.
once all the singaras are added, then lower the flame. begin to fry the shingara on a low to medium-low flame.
when one side is light golden then turn over each singara.
continue to fry and when the second side is light golden, turn over again.
this way keep on turning them and fry till the shingara have a nice golden crust.
remove with a slotted spoon draining the extra oil.
place shingara on kitchen paper towels to absorb extra oil. while frying other batches of shingara, slightly increase the flame. add samosa and again reduce the flame.
serve aloo phulkopir singara hot or warm with some fried salted green chilis, tamarind chutney or coriander chutney or mint chutney or green chutney.
recipe notes
- in case if you do not have panch phoran, then just add 2 pinches of the following spices – fenugreek seeds (methi), wild celery seeds (radhuni), fennel seeds (saunf), cumin seeds (jeera), nigella seeds (kalonji).
- instead of wild celery seeds (radhuni) you can use carom seeds (ajwain) or mustard seeds (rai).
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how to make aloo phulkopir singara recipe
a) making aloo phulkopir stuffing for singara:
1. rinse and then chop 150 grams cauliflower in tiny or small florets. you will need 1.5 cups small cauliflower florets.
2. rinse 1 cup fresh green peas and keep aside.
3. rinse, peel and chop 225 grams potatoes (3 medium potatoes) in small cubes. you will need 1.25 cups small potato cubes.
4. heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan. add ½ teaspoon panch phoran. in case if you do not have panch phoran, then just add a pinch of the following spices – fenugreek seeds (methi), wild celery seeds (radhuni), fennel seeds (saunf), cumin seeds (jeera), nigella seeds (kalonji). instead of wild celery seeds (radhuni) you can use carom seeds (ajwain) or mustard seeds (rai).
5. let the spices become aromatic and splutter.
6. now add ⅓ cup chopped onions.
7. stir and saute till the onions turn translucent.
8. then add 1 teaspoon ginger paste. mix and saute till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
9. keep the flame to a low. then add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder and ½ teaspoon cumin powder.
10. mix very well and saute for a few seconds.
11. add the chopped potatoes.
12. mix and saute for 1 minute.
13. then add the chopped cauliflower and green peas.
14. season with salt as per taste.
15. mix very well.
16. add 4 to 5 tablespoons water and mix again.
17. cover the pan with a lid and simmer the veggies on a low to medium-low flame.
18. in between do check and if the veggies start sticking to the pan, then add a few more tablespoons of water.
19. simmer till the veggies are tender and cooked. then switch off the flame. just cook the veggies till tender. do not make them mushy or overcook them.
20. then add 3 tablespoons roasted peanuts or salted peanuts. also add ¼ teaspoon sugar.
21. mix well and let this aloo phulkopir stuffing cool at room temperature.
making singara dough
22. in a large parat (plate) or a bowl take 2 cups all purpose flour (maida). add 4 tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon salt or add as required.
23. mix the oil in the flour with your fingertips till you get a bread crumb like consistency in the flour.
24. when you press a portion of the mixture in your palm, it should hold together and not crumble.
25. now add ½ to ⅔ cup water or add as required. add water in parts.
26. knead to a smooth dough. the dough should be smooth but slightly firm. it should not be too smooth. cover the dough with a moist cloth or kitchen napkin and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
27. after 30 minutes, lightly knead the dough again and make a log. cut the dough log in 7 equal pieces. cover the pieces with a moist cloth or kitchen napkin.
c) assembling, stuffing and making singara recipe
28. take one dough piece and roll in a ball. flatten and keep on the rolling board (chakla).
29. with a rolling pin (belan) roll to a 7 to 8 inches round.
30. cut the rolled dough from the center.
31. now with your fingertip or with a small brush spread water on the edges of one of the cut dough.
32. bring together the straight edge with one of its end overlapping a bit the other end. press and seal the edges. press the edges well, so that they get sealed. it will look like a cone.
33. now with a small spoon, stuff the potato filling in the samosa cone.
34. pinch a part in the edge as shown in pic below. this helps the samosas to stand when placed on a tray.
35. press both the edges. be sure there are no cracks. the edges should be joined very well.
36. make all shingara this way. cover them with a moist cloth or kitchen napkin before you begin to fry them.
frying singara
37. heat oil for deep frying in a kadai on medium flame. add a small piece of the dough and it should come up gradually and steadily.
38. now gently add the singara (samosa).
39. add 2 to 3 or 4 singara depending on the size of the kadai.
40. once all the singaras are added, then lower the flame.
41. begin to fry the singara on a low to medium-low flame.
42. when one side is light golden then turn over each singara.
43. continue to fry and when the second side is light golden, turn over again.
44. this way keep on turning them and fry till the singara have a nice golden crust.
45. remove with a slotted spoon draining the extra oil.
46. place singara on kitchen paper towels to absorb extra oil. while frying other batches of singara, slightly increase the flame. add samosa and again reduce the flame.
47. serve aloo phulkopir singara hot or warm with some fried salted green chilis, tamarind chutney or coriander chutney or mint chutney or green chutney.
Hello..i did as you said but while frying edges are opening and fillings are coming out in oil. Pls help how to fix this.. I tried 4 and 3 of them opened..and still remained 7 to fry. I am scared if I will fry again it will be the same. What can I do to correct it.
use some more water at the edges. keep the edges slightly thick. press them well so that the filling does not leak out. also do not roll the dough thin for singara. you can even make a slightly thick paste of maida + water and spread it on the edges. this will also seal the edges well. if you have shaped all the 7, then just make a paste of thick maida and water and spread it on the edges. this will cover the edges. hope this helps.