Sunita Williams may order THIS food when she lands on Earth and why it is special

NASA's astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore are finally on the way back to Earth, after being ‘stranded’ aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June 2024. They are returning from space more than nine months after a failure in Boeing’s Starliner capsule. Their original mission was only 8 days long. A SpaceX Dragon capsule containing four astronauts, including Williams and Wilmore, has undocked from the orbiting outpost at 1.05 a.m. ET (5.05 a.m. GMT). The spacecraft is expected to splash down off the Florida coast around 6 p.m. ET following a 17-hour descent. The world is eagerly waiting for the return of the astronauts, and while all of us are curious to know their whereabouts, and have hundreds of questions to ask, one of them is surely food.

After spending months in space, Williams might crave something comforting that feels like home. Any guess? Given Williams’ Indo-American roots, she would perhaps want to have some hearty Indian meals. Well, it certainly is not the regular butter chicken and rice. She is more likely to have samosas! On her third journey to space aboard the Boeing Starliner maiden crew mission, she reportedly carried samosas, a beloved Indian snack.

What is samosa?

A samosa is a popular Indian snack. It is a crispy, deep-fried pastry filled with a savory mixture, made of spiced potatoes, peas, and sometimes lentils. Samosa is typically triangular and served hot with chutneys like mint or tamarind sauce.

In India, samosas are a staple street food. The crunchy snacks have gained popularity worldwide, and of course, have different variations depending on the region. In some parts, people enjoy samosas filled with meat mixture.

How to make samosas?

Samosas are quick to make and can be paired with a hot cup of tea, especially on a rainy day.

Ingredients

Ingredients

For the dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup ghee or oil
• ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp carom seeds (optional)
• ½ cup water (adjust as needed)

For the filling

• 3 boiled potatoes (mashed), ½ cup green peas
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp garam masala, ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp dry mango powder, salt
• 1 green chili (chopped), 1 tsp grated ginger
• 2 tbsp oil

Oil is also required for frying.

The first step is preparing the dough. Take a bowl and mix the flour, salt, ajwain, and ghee. Add water gradually to knead a firm dough. Rest this dough for 30 minutes.


Now to prepare the filling, take a pan heat 2 tbsp oil, and add cumin, ginger, and chili. Once sauteed, add the boiled mashed potatoes, peas, and spices. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

The third step involves shaping the samosas. Roll the dough and cut into halves to form a cone. Now add the stuffing, and seal it. Heat oil in a deep pan over low-medium heat. Now carefully drop the samosas and deep fry until golden brown. Remove and place on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Your samosas are ready. You can serve it alone or with mint or tamarind chutney.