Crispy Samosas Without Deep-Frying: A 4-in-1 Oven Recipe

Samosas are the taste of Ramzan iftar and Sunday chai — and usually a pan of hot oil and a smoky kitchen. With the air-fry function of a 4-in-1 oven you can get a crisp, golden shell with just a light brush of oil. Here is how.

01Ingredients (makes about 16)

• 4 medium potatoes, boiled and roughly mashed
• ½ cup boiled peas, 1 small onion (optional), 2 green chillies
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp crushed coriander, 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp chaat masala, ½ tsp garam masala, salt, fresh coriander
• 16 samosa patti sheets
• 2 tbsp flour mixed with a little water, to seal
• 2–3 tbsp oil, for brushing

02Make the filling

Toast the cumin seeds in a pan, add the onion and soften it, then mix in the potatoes, peas, chillies, spices and coriander. Taste for salt and chaat masala. Let the filling cool completely — warm filling makes the pastry soggy.

03Fold and seal

Fold each strip of patti into a cone, fill it about three-quarters full, and seal the last flap with flour paste. Press the edges well; open seams let steam escape and the samosa loses its shape.

04Air-fry

1. Preheat the oven on its air-fry setting to about 200°C.
2. Brush or spray each samosa lightly with oil on all sides — this is what turns the pastry golden.
3. Lay them on the tray in a single layer with space between them so hot air can circulate.
4. Cook for 12–15 minutes, turning once halfway, until golden and crisp.

Frozen samosas: no need to thaw. Brush with oil and cook for about 15–18 minutes at the same temperature, turning halfway. Every oven differs slightly, so check the first batch a couple of minutes early and use your oven's manual for its exact air-fry settings.

05Why a 4-in-1 oven

A 4-in-1 oven combines baking, steaming, air-frying and more in one built-in appliance, so the same oven handles samosas at iftar, a cake on Sunday and steamed vegetables during the week. The Fotile Magic Oven 4-in-1 is built for exactly this kind of everyday cooking. Read more about what a 4-in-1 oven can do.

06More to try

• Pakoras: brush the battered vegetables with oil and air-fry in a single layer.
• Chicken tikka boti: marinate, then air-fry or grill until charred at the edges.
• Fish fingers and chips for the children — with far less oil.