Carolina Perloo Samosas

By DomesticMuse

Golden-brown samosas stuffed with a rich, savory mixture of bacon and tomato-infused rice studded with ham and shrimp, drizzled with a garlicky lemon-mint sauce

Ingredients

• For the perloo:
• 8 slices bacon (I used some applewood smoked bacon)
• 3 med. onions, chopped
• 1 lg, green pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 t. salt black pepper to taste
• 3 1/4 c. tomato juice
• 2 14 1/2 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• 1 heaping t. sugar
• 2 1/2 c. cooked white rice
• 1- 1 1/2 c. diced ham
• 1/2 lb. med. shrimp, shelled
• For the samosa dough:
• 2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. sugar
• 4 T unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 c. ice water (plus more, if needed)
• For the Lemon-Mint Parsley Sauce:
• uice of 2 fresh lemons
• 1/2 c. Italian parsley, leaves only, chopped
• 1/3 c., packed, fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 sweet white onion, minced
• 1/2 t. salt
• cayenne pepper to taste
• 1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

Step 1

1. Cook the bacon until crisp and dry, reserving all bacon fat. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels.
2. Cook the onion and green pepper in the hot bacon fat in a large, deep skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes or so, until tender and fragrant. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
3. Add the tomato juice, diced tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and cook at a low simmer, with the lid cracked, for 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes or so. The mixute should be somewhat thicker.
4. Add the white rice and the diced ham, and stir to combine.Simmer, covered, over very low heat for 50 minutes. Check every 15 minutes to make sure rice is not getting too dry, adding a little water if needed.
5. Add the shrimp, cover and cook and additional 10 minutes. Crumble the bacon over the top, and stir into the mixture. Remove from the heat and cool.

Make the samosa dough:
1. Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process briefly to combine. Pour the melted butter over the flour mixture, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Turn the processor on and with the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube. Process until the dough begins to come together. If the dough is too dry, add a bit more water. If too wet, add a teaspoon or two of flour to make a soft but workable dough.
3. Place the dough on a lightly-floured work surface and knead gently until all ingredients are incorporated.
4. Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Shape into balls and then flatten each ball into a disc.
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate, sprinkle lightly with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll and Fill the Samosas:
5. After 30 minutes, work with 1 piece of dough at a time, leaving the rest in the fridge. On a well-floured surface, roll each disc out into a 10" round.
6. Cut each round in half with a sharp knife. Moisten the straight edge of the dough with water and fold the dough into a cone, overlapping the dough (one side will have a double thickness of dough). Pinch the seams together, leaving the top open.
7. Fill each cone with about 1/4 c. of the perloo, and pinch the top securely shut. Place the filled samosas on a plate and refrigerate as you make them.

Cook the Samosas:
8. Heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a large sauce pan or use a fry cooker and fill according to manufacturer's instructions. Heat the oil to 375F.
9. Cook the samosas in the hot oil for 4 minutes, turning halfway through if needed.
Place on a paper-towel-lined plate, and keep warm in a low oven until all samosas are cooked and you are ready to serve.

Make the sauce:
Mix everthing together in a bowl, and drizzle on the hot Samosas.