Baked samsa with mint chutney

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 85 g of skinless and boneless chicken breasts
• 1 large Russet potato (a potato with brown skin and white flesh)
• Water
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1.5 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 mango, peeled, pitted and cut into small cubes
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 5 tablespoons chipotle pepper sauce (smoked green chili pepper)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• A large handful of chopped coriander leaves

Samsa:

• 2 packs of defrosted puff pastry
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon of water

Mint Chutney:

• 1 cup mint leaves
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and soft stem parts
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
• Juice of 1/2 lime, plus a little more to taste
• About 1/4 cup water
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

Homemade dough for samsa:

• 1 cup premium wheat flour
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable/canola oil
• A large pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp ajwain seeds (optional)

Preparation:

1. Filling: Place the potatoes in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Add a large pinch of salt and bring the water to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 12-15 minutes.
   
   In a second small saucepan, pour 4 cups of water and bring to a gentle simmer. Add a large pinch of salt, bay leaves, a teaspoon of coriander seeds, black peppercorns, chili flakes, and chicken breast. Simmer until tender, 8-10 minutes.
   
   Mash the potatoes, finely shred the chicken, and place everything in a large bowl. Mix with the mango, lime juice, chipotle pepper sauce, remaining coriander seeds, cumin, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix with a spoon or your hands. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.
2. Samsa: Lightly roll out the puff pastry to smooth out the seams. Cut out 8 circles (18 cm wide) from the dough with a paring knife, using a garnish ring or bowl as a template. Cut each circle into 2 semicircles.
   
   Place about a tablespoon of filling in the center of each semicircle. Place a small bowl of water nearby. Dip your fingers in the water and run them along the edge of the semicircle. Place the samsa on top with the flat edge facing away from you. Take the left corner and fold it over the dough to form a triangle, positioning this corner on the lower right side of the filling. Fold the other corner over as well.
3. Preheat oven to 220°C.
   
   Press the dough along the bottom edge and pinch it shut, moistening it with water. You can use a fork to do this. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Place 8 pies on a lightly greased baking sheet.
   
   In a small bowl, beat the egg thoroughly with a teaspoon of water using a fork. Brush the surface of the samsa with this mixture.
   
   Bake for 15 minutes at 220°C, then reduce the temperature to 190°C and bake for another 10 minutes. If desired, you can flip the pies over before reducing the temperature.
4. Chutney: In a food processor, puree the mint, cilantro, ginger, lime juice, and water until you have a sauce. There may be some small leaf pieces remaining, but this won't affect the flavor, so don't worry. Pour the chutney into a bowl.
   
   Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the mustard seeds; they should pop. Immediately cover the pan with a lid until the seeds stop popping.
   
   Be careful not to burn the mustard seeds! If they do, start again. No problem. It happens all the time! Immediately transfer the seeds and oil to the chutney. They will splatter, so keep your distance. Once you've transferred all the oil, you can even spoon some chutney into the pan (it might start splattering again!) to catch all the delicious oil. Pour it into the bowl with the chutney.
   
   Serve the samsa with hot mint chutney… Enjoy!

5. Homemade dough for samsa

   
   
   In a large bowl, combine the flour, buttermilk, oil, salt, and ajwain seeds. Mix the ingredients until they form a dough. Knead the dough until it becomes slightly soft, about 5 minutes. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. You can refrigerate it, but let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before using it to soften it.
   
   Roll the dough into a short log. Cut it in half, then cut each half into 2 pieces, for a total of 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Flatten each ball to form a disk, then on a floured surface, roll them into circles 18 cm wide and 0.3 cm thick. Cut each circle into 2 semicircles.