Sambusa Sandwich (Ethiopian Lentil Pastry Wrap)

About This Recipe

This dish reworks sambusa -- Ethiopia's beloved triangular fried pastry filled with spiced lentils or meat -- into a portable wrap format, tucking crisp, freshly fried sambusas into injera or flatbread along with fresh vegetables for an easy, handheld meal. Sambusas themselves, related to the samosa family found across South Asia and the Middle East, are a beloved Ethiopian snack and appetizer, especially popular during Ramadan and at gatherings. The technique that matters is the lentil filling and the folding: red lentils are cooked down with berbere spice blend, onion, and garlic until thick and well seasoned, then wrapped in thin dough triangles and fried until deeply golden and shatteringly crisp. The folding technique -- creating a cone shape from a strip of dough, filling it, then folding the top down into a sealed triangle -- takes some practice but is essential for keeping the filling secure during frying. Wrapped into injera or flatbread with fresh tomato, onion, and greens, this sandwich delivers Ethiopia's warmly spiced, crisp-fried sambusa in an easy-to-eat format for a satisfying lunch.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 cupred lentils(rinsed)
• 2 cupswater
• 2 tbspneutral oil
• 1onion(finely diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1.5 tbspberbere spice blend
• 1 tspsalt
• 16 sheetsspring roll or samosa wrappers
• 2 tbspflour(mixed with 3 tbsp water, for sealing)
• 3 cupsneutral oil(for frying)
• 4 piecesinjera or flatbread
• 1tomato(sliced)
• 1 cupmixed greens

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the lentils

   Simmer lentils in water for 15-18 minutes until soft and most liquid is absorbed.

2. 2

   Saute the aromatics

   Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook onion 5 minutes until soft, add garlic and berbere, cooking 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

3. 3

   Combine

   Stir cooked lentils into the spiced onion mixture along with salt. Cook 3-4 minutes until thick. Let cool completely.

4. 4

   Fill and fold

   Cut wrapper sheets into strips. Place a spoonful of lentil filling at one end and fold into a triangle shape repeatedly until fully wrapped, sealing the final edge with the flour paste.

5. 5

   Fry

   Heat oil to 175C/350F. Fry sambusas in batches 2-3 minutes per side until golden and crisp.

6. 6

   Assemble

   Wrap fried sambusas in injera or flatbread with tomato slices and greens.

7. 7

   Serve

   Serve immediately while the sambusas are still hot and crisp.

Variations

• •

  Use a spiced ground beef filling instead of lentils for a meat version, a very common variation.

• •

  Bake instead of fry at 200C/400F for 15-18 minutes, brushed with oil, for a lighter alternative.

• •

  Serve the sambusas plain as an appetizer instead of wrapped in a sandwich.

Storage

Refrigerate fried sambusas up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a hot oven for 8-10 minutes to restore crispness before assembling into a fresh wrap.

Frequently Asked Questions