Day 3: Samosa Nani

Guest blogger: SaanyaNani and I have always had a special relationship. I was writing her a thank you card today that started out being for her graduation present, but ended up being for the past 18 years: "Dear Nani, Thank you so much for everything - for your visits when I know how hard it is to take the train; thank you for your love and support unconditionally when you know I'm not always right; thank you for your phone calls and hugs and prayers, and for always being there for me ... Most of all, thank you for always seeing the best in me. For thinking that I'm #1, even after I show you my B- in Calculus. I love you so much."Ramadan isn't Ramadan without Nani's samosas. When perfectly handcrafted by Nani's Lubriderm soft hands into immaculately stuffed triangular pockets, samosas are more than just a break fast snack, they are a memory that my brother and I will carry with us. My friends know my grandmother as 'Samosa Nani'. They ask for her samosas in college care packages, they hope to have them every time they come over, and they steal mine when I sometimes bring them for lunch. Making samosas during Ramadan makes me happy; top 40 playing in the background, sweatpants covered in flour, Zayd's and my creations being less than perfect, and Nani's lighthearted complaints about our not taking it seriously and threats to redo them, are all part of the process. These afternoons are my Ramadan tradition; they are my memory that I will take with me to NYU and beyond.Day 3, Tradition 3: Nani's SamosasNani's Samosas(makes 36)-1 packet TYJ spring roll pastry, 25 sheets (available at Korean or Chinese grocery)- 1 1/4 pound ground beef or ground chicken (can substitute green peas/potatoes for vegetarian)- 1 large onion, thinly sliced or chopped- 1/4 ts garlic powder- 1/4 ts ginger powder- 1/4 ts cumin powder- a pinch of red pepper- salt to tast- lemon juice- Lightly brown onion in 1 1/2 TS of veg oil; add garlic, ginger, cumin, red pepper, salt, and stir with 2 TS water; cook for 2 minutes. Add beef or chicken, cook with spices; add some water and let cook on medium heat until meat is well cooked and the water is absorbed. Take out the filling in a bowl, make sure to drain any fat or oil. Sprinkle filling with 3-4 drops of lemon juice.- Cut the pastry sheets vertically into three equal sized portions; use one portion and cover the others with damp paper towel so they don't dry. Peel off two sheets and fold it like a cone, point at the bottom and top open. Place 3/4 TS of filling in each samosa, fold the top over the filling and paste it down (2 TS of flour mixed with water to make paste).- Heat 1 cup of veg oil over medium meat and deep fry samosas 4-5 at a time until light brown; drain samosas on paper towel; and enjoy!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rygoowWlChg