Fried · Savory Pastry

Samosa

📷 Closely related photo — Photo via Pexels/Unsplash — free for commercial use

During Ramadan, samosa sales in Pakistan spike so dramatically that some fryers barely turn off their oil from iftar to suhoor.

A pastry shell is filled with spiced potatoes, peas, or minced meat, folded, and deep-fried until golden and crackling-crisp. Street vendors fry them in huge batches and sell them by the piece, often with tamarind or mint chutney.

Why it's made this way: The sealed, fried pastry shell keeps the filling hot and portable without cutlery, which is exactly what made samosas a natural fit for vendors serving crowds on busy streets.