Editing Samosa (section)

==Regional varieties==
{{More citations needed section|date=February 2025}}

=== India ===
The samosa is prepared with an [[all-purpose flour]] (locally known as maida) and stuffed with a filling, often a mixture of diced and cooked or mashed boiled potatoes, onions, green peas, lentils, ginger, spices and green chillies.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Pal|first=Sanchari|date=2017-01-04|title=TBI Food Secrets: Unravelling the Fascinating History of the Samosa, India's Favourite Street Snack|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/80824/samosa-history-india/|access-date=2021-05-01|website=The Better India|language=en-US|archive-date=5 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105071341/https://www.thebetterindia.com/80824/samosa-history-india/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://food.ndtv.com/recipe-samosas-1-492604|title=Samosas Recipe by Niru Gupta|work=NDTV Food|access-date=23 April 2021|archive-date=3 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203212523/https://food.ndtv.com/recipe-samosas-1-492604|url-status=live}}</ref> A samosa can be either vegetarian or non-vegetarian, depending on the filling. The entire pastry is deep-fried in vegetable oil or (rarely) [[ghee]] until it achieves a golden-brown colour. It is served hot, often with fresh green chutneys, such as mint or [[coriander|coriander chutney]], or [[tamarind]] chutney. It can also be prepared in a sweet form. Samosas are often served as a tea-time snack, or as a ''[[chaat]]'' (a type of street food), along with the traditional accompaniments of either a chickpea or a white pea preparation, drizzled with yogurt, tamarind chutney and green chutney, and garnished with chopped onions, coriander, and ''[[chaat masala]]''.

In the Indian states of [[Assam]], [[Odisha]], [[West Bengal]], [[Bihar]] and [[Jharkhand]], ''singara''s or ''shingra''s ({{lang|as|চিংৰা}})<ref>{{Cite web|script-title=bn:চিংৰা|url=http://www.xobdo.org/dic/%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%82%E0%A7%B0%E0%A6%BE|access-date=23 November 2021|website=Xobdo.org|archive-date=4 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240904031850/http://www.xobdo.org/dic/%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%82%E0%A7%B0%E0%A6%BE|url-status=live}}</ref> (the East Indian version of samosas) are popular snacks found almost everywhere. They are a bit smaller than in other parts of India, with a filling consisting chiefly of cooked diced potato, peanuts, and sometimes raisins.<ref name=":0" /> ''Shingra''s are wrapped in a thin sheet of dough (made of all-purpose flour) and fried. Good ''shingra''s are distinguished by flaky textures akin to that of a savory pie crust.

Singaras may be eaten as a tea-time snack. They can also be prepared in a sweet form. Bengali singaras tend to be triangular, filled with potato, peas, onions, diced almonds, or other vegetables, and are more heavily fried and crunchier than other singaras or their samosa cousins. Singara filled with cauliflower mixture is a popular variation. Non-vegetarian varieties of singaras are mutton singaras and fish singaras. There are also sweet versions, such as coconut singara, as well as others filled with ''[[khoya]]'' and dipped in sugar syrup that are known as Mishti Shingara.

In the city of [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]], a smaller version of samosa with a thicker pastry crust and minced meat filling, referred to as ''[[lukhmi]]'',<ref name=":0" /> is consumed, as is another variation with an onion filling. Crispy samosas filled with a spicy onion filling are also popular in the city and known as Irani/onion samosas. They were popularised by [[Irani cafes]] in the city and are also popularly sold in train stations and bus stands.

In the states of [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Karnataka]], [[Kerala]], and [[Tamil Nadu]], samosas are slightly different, being folded differently, more like Portuguese {{lang|pt|chamuças}}, with a different style of pastry. The filling also differs, typically featuring mashed potatoes with spices, fried onions, peas, carrots, cabbage, curry leaves, and green chilis, and is mostly eaten without chutney. Samosas in [[South India]] are made in different sizes, whose fillings are influenced by local food habits, and may include meat.

<gallery widths="200" heights="200">
File:Samosas before being fried.jpg|Samosas before being fried, at a sweet shop in Kolkata.
File:Samosasindia.jpg|Samosas in India
File:Samosa with sauce available at Indian Coffee Houses in Kerala .jpg|Samosa with tomato ketchup available at Indian coffee houses in Kerala
File:Vegetable Samosa.jpg|Vegetable samosa
File:Samoosa.jpg|Vegetable samosa
</gallery>

=== Bangladesh ===
[[File:Samosas, snack food at Wikipedia's 16th Birthday celebration in Chittagong (01).jpg|thumb|Bangladeshi samosas, snack food]]

Both flat-shaped (triangular) and full-shaped (tetrahedron/triangular pyramid) samosas are popular snacks in [[Bangladesh]]. A [[Bengali language|Bengali]] version of the full-shaped samosa is called a {{lang|bn|সিঙাড়া}} ({{transliteration|bn|shingara}}) and is normally smaller than the standard variety. The {{transliteration|bn|shingara}} is usually filled with pieced potatoes, vegetables, nuts, etc. However, {{transliteration|bn|shingaras}} filled with beef liver are very popular in some parts of the country. The flat-shaped samosa is called a {{transliteration|bn|somosa}} or {{transliteration|bn|somucha}}, and is usually filled with onions and minced meat.

=== Nepal ===
Samosas are called {{transliteration|ne|singadas}} in the eastern zone of [[Nepal]]; the rest of the country calls it samosa. In Nepal, samosa was introduced to by the Indian merchants and communities who migrated to Nepal, such as the Marwari people, and it quickly became a very popular snack. Instead of chuntey as popular in the neighbouring countries, samosa is often served and consumed with a chickpea or green pea curried soup. Vendors sell the dish in various markets and restaurants.

=== Pakistan ===
Samosas of various types are available throughout [[Pakistan]]. In general, most samosa varieties sold in the southern [[Sindh]] province and in the eastern [[Punjab (Pakistan)|Punjab]], especially the city of [[Lahore]], are spicier and mostly contain vegetable or potato-based fillings. However, the samosas sold in the west and north of the country mostly contain minced meat-based fillings and are comparatively less spicy. The meat samosa contains minced meat (lamb, beef, or chicken) and is popular as a snack food in Pakistan.

In Pakistan, the samosas of [[Karachi]] are famous for their spicy flavour, whereas samosas from [[Faisalabad]] are noted for being unusually large. Another distinct variety of samosa, available in Karachi, is called {{transliteration|ur|kaghazi samosa}} ({{langx|ur|{{nq|کاغذی سموسہ}}}}; "paper samosa" in English) due to its thin and crispy covering, which resembles a [[wonton]] or [[spring roll]] wrapper. Another variant, popular in Punjab, consists of samosas with side dishes of mashed spiced chickpeas, onions, and coriander leaf salad, as well as various chutneys to top the samosas. Sweet samosas are also sold in the cities of Pakistan including Peshawar; these sweet samosas contain no filling and are dipped in thick sugar syrup.

Another Pakistani snack food, popular in Punjab, is known as {{transliteration|ur|samosa chaat}}. This is a combination of a crumbled samosa, along with spiced chickpeas ([[Chaat|channa chaat]]), yogurt, and chutneys. Alternatively, the samosa can be eaten on its own with chutney on the side.

In Pakistan, samosas are a staple [[iftar]] food for many Pakistani families during the month of [[Ramadan|Ramzan]].

=== Maldives ===
The types and varieties of samosa made in [[Maldivian cuisine]] are known as {{transliteration|dv|bajiyaa}}. They are filled with a mixture including fish like [[tuna]] and onions.<ref>[[Xavier Romero-Frias]], ''[https://www.himalmag.com/eating-on-the-islands/ Eating on the Islands] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328214604/https://www.himalmag.com/eating-on-the-islands/ |date=28 March 2020 }}'', [[Himal Southasian]], Vol. 26 no. 2, pages 69-91 {{ISSN|1012-9804}}</ref>