Sambusa (Ethiopian Spiced Meat Fritters)

About This Recipe

Sambusa reflects Ethiopia's historical trade connections across the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, its triangular fried pastry shape and technique closely related to samosas found across South Asia and the Middle East. The filling can be either a spiced ground beef mixture seasoned with berbere and onion, or a simpler lentil version for fasting days, both wrapped in a thin dough and folded into tight triangles before frying. Fried until deeply golden and crisp, sambusa are a common snack sold at Ethiopian gatherings and street stalls, their crunchy exterior giving way to a warmly spiced, savory filling within.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 cupsall-purpose flour
• 1/2 tspsalt(for dough)
• 2 tbspvegetable oil(for dough)
• 3/4 cupwarm water
• 300 gground beef
• 1onion(finely diced)
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tbspberbere spice blend
• 1 tspsalt(for filling)
• 4 cupsvegetable oil(for frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix flour and salt, then work in oil and warm water until a smooth, firm dough forms; knead 5 minutes and rest covered 20 minutes.

2. 2

   Make the filling

   Cook onion until soft, add ground beef and cook until browned, then stir in garlic, berbere spice and salt, cooking 3-4 minutes until fragrant.

3. 3

   Roll and cut

   Roll the dough thin and cut into long strips about 3 inches wide.

4. 4

   Fold into triangles

   Place a spoonful of filling at one end of a strip, then fold the dough over diagonally into a triangle, continuing to fold along the strip until fully wrapped.

   Fold the dough snugly around the filling, pressing each fold firmly so the seal doesn't come apart during frying.

5. 5

   Seal

   Seal the final edge with a bit of water or flour paste.

6. 6

   Fry

   Fry the sambusa in hot oil (350F/175C) for 3-4 minutes, turning, until deeply golden and crisp.

7. 7

   Serve

   Drain and serve hot.

Variations

• •

  A lentil filling replaces the ground beef for a vegetarian version suitable for fasting days.

• •

  Some versions add a bit of chopped green chile directly into the filling for extra heat.

• •

  Baking instead of frying gives a lighter, though less crisp, alternative.

Storage

Uncooked, shaped sambusa freeze well; fry directly from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes. Cooked sambusa keep 2 days refrigerated and reheat well in an oven.

Frequently Asked Questions