Go Back

Leftover Turkey Samosas with Cranberry Chutney

These Leftover Turkey Samosas help you steer clear of boredom by creating something entirely new from leftover turkey and mashed potatoes. Served alongside a Cranberry Chutney, these samosas provide a much-needed change of pace while keeping it seasonal.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting Time 45 minutes
Servings: 16 samosas
Course: Snack
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cranberry Chutney
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil I used canola
  • 3 shallots thinly sliced
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 (1-inch) knob ginger minced
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp coriander seeds
  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • ¾ cup gooseberries
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1 cup demerara sugar
  • ¾ cup white vinegar
Leftover Turkey Samosas
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ajwain seeds optional
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 7 tbsp ghee heaping, divided
  • 6 tbsp cold water
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4-5 green chilis** thinly sliced
  • 1 (1-inch) knob ginger minced
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp fennel seeds
  • ½ tsp coriander seeds coarsely crushed with the back of a spoon
  • ¾ cup frozen peas
  • 1½ cups leftover mashed potatoes*
  • 1 ½ cups cooked, shredded turkey I used a mixture of white and dark meat
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder*** or paprika with a pinch of cayenne
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • 3 cups neutral oil for frying
  • fresh cilantro for serving, optional
  • pomegranate arils for serving, optional
  • mint chutney for serving, optional

Method
 

For the Chutney
  1. Pour the oil into a heavy bottom pot and place over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallots and salt, and turn the heat to low. Sweat the shallots until just translucent, stir in the ginger and saute until fragrant. Stir in the spices and saute until the mustard seeds begin to pop and the cumin becomes fragrant.
  2. Add the cranberries, gooseberries, and raisins and toss to coat. Pour in the sugar and vinegar and bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let cook uncovered until the fruit reaches a thick, jammy consistency. This should take about 30 minutes.
  3. Take the chutney off of the heat and transfer to a heat-proof jar. Leave to cool on the counter until it reaches room temperature. Then place a lid on the jar and store it in the fridge.
For the Samosas
  1. In a large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, salt, and ajwain seeds. Add 5 tablespoons of the ghee and, using your fingers, rub the ghee into the flour mixture. Take your time with this, you want to really work the ghee in. The finished mixture should look crumbly, not shaggy.
  2. Start adding the water a tablespoon at a time, kneading lightly between additions. After the final tablespoon, you should have a dense, cohesive dough that you can form into a ball. Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and let sit for 45 minutes.
  3. While the dough is resting, make the filling. Heat the remaining ghee in a skillet until melted. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and saute until translucent. Add the ginger, green chili, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.
  4. Take the onion mixture off of the heat and place in a large bowl. Add the mashed potatoes, turkey meat, chili powder, garam masala, and ground coriander. Stir to combine, taste and season with salt accordingly. Set aside.
  5. By now the dough should be done resting. Divide the dough into 8 evenly-sized pieces. Take one piece and cover the remaining pieces with a damp cloth so they don't dry out.
  6. Place the piece of dough on a floured surface and roll it out to a rough 3x7 " rectangle. Cut the rectangle in half crosswise. Take one half and run a wet finger along the straight edge. Fold both ends of the straight edge in to meet each other to form a cone. Press to form a seal. Fill the cone with a heaping tablespoon of the filling. Run a wet finger around the circumference of the top of the cone and press to seal. Repeat with the remaining half. Transfer the finished samosas to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat these steps with the remaining pieces of dough.
  7. Once all the samosas are folded, pour the oil into a large wok. Heat to 325°F and try to keep it within 325-350°F throughout the cooking process. Add the 4-5 samosas at a time and fry until deep golden in color, about 7-10 minutes. Transfer the finished samosas to a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and keep warm in a 150°F oven until ready to serve.
  8. Once the samosas are fried, place them on a large platter and garnish with fresh cilantro and pomegranate arils. Serve with cranberry and mint chutney on the side.

Notes

*If you're interested in making this but don't have leftover mashed potatoes, you can sub them for two large Yukon Gold potatoes peeled, boiled, and mashed.
**Use fewer chilies or none at all if you're sensitive to spice. We have a high tolerance in this house.
***If you can't find Kashmiri chili powder, you can use paprika with a pinch of cayenne.
****If you would like further clarification on how to fold a samosa, check out this step by step photo guide.