From Punjab to Kerala: How samosas change across India

From Punjab’s Kulwinder to South India’s Meenakshi to that little kid Taposh from the busy bylanes of Kolkata to the Mota Bhai in Gujarat; If the humble samosa had to share its story of how it paved its way to every nook and corner of the country to being served on the lavish fine dine spread, the journey of this street snack would have been the most interesting rom-com! Where samosa meets different ingredients and makes a new version, and believe it or not the story of this snack is worth knowing as it has pleased the palates of millions with its magical taste and crisp texture, but each time with a different twist of taste and flavor. So, here’s how the humble street treat has sailed through the diversities and still brought everyone closer with its delightful taste. Punjabi SamosaSamosa with hari chutney and sauth ki chutney and lassi or chai is the heart and soul of every gathering in Punjab. From little celebrations to just satiating hunger this street treat is loved for its chatpata masala aloo stuffing along with little cubes of soft paneer filled inside a crispy samosa. What makes it even more special is that some places in Punjab serve samosa deep fried in ghee, which makes samosa a rich treat! BengalIn Bengal Samosa has a different name and distinct taste, known as Shingara, this age-old street snack is relished with Bharer Cha and Rosogolla. What makes it special is the stuffing, which is made with small square shaped spicy potato chunks, peas and peanuts. The potatoes used in Shingara are fried before tossing them with spices, which gives it that classic taste. BiharSamosa gets a humble yet unique taste, when it reaches the bylanes of Bihar, where the potatoes are cooked with a tadka of panch phoron, red chillies and the chunks of potatoes are not completely mashed, which gives samosa a nice taste and texture. It is usually served with Jalebi or Laddoo. KeralaPaving its way towards the southern part of the country, the taste and flavour of samosa is dominated by the local taste and preferences. So much so that in some parts of Kerela, meat filled samosas with a tadka of curry leaves, podi masala and whole red chilies stuffed inside a crispy samosa cone is a popular street snack, which is often served with coffee or tea. MaharashtraWhen samosa reaches the city of dream Mumbai, its gets a classic maharathi twist, where a crispy potato filled samosa is stuffed inside buttery pavs with some spicy homemade thecha, hari mirchi and not to forget that spicy green chutney and some sliced onions, this samosa pav is much loved delight served with Mumbai’s popular cutting chai!GujaratSailing through the land of Arabian sea, when this oh-so-humble snack reaches Gujarat, it gets a subtle and sweet makeover! In Gujarat’s Surat, samosa was given a unique twist by using chana dal for a sweet spicy filling inside a crispy samosa. What’s more, the dough used to make the outer layer is a mix of both atta and maida, which gives it a distinct taste.