You likely have heard of samosas, a spiced potato or sometimes meat filled fried pastry. They are flavorful, crispy, and filling-amazing little treat. Burmese-style samosas are a bit different. Thoke translates to “tossed” as in a type of tossed salad. Samosa Thoke or Samosa Salad is the usual cut-up samosas, vegetables, and a dressing. It is a popular street food dish that is full of amazing flavor.
Burma is a country in Southeast Asia. My mother was born there and lived there until she was 20 years old. I grew up eating Burmese food and have always look forward to it on the dinner table. The food is unique but if described it has some characteristics of China, Thailand, and India. Some other iconic Burmese food includes lapet thoke or fermented tea leaf salad, mohinga or fish soup, and khauk swè thoke or tossed noodles. We actually have a pretty good version of lapet thoke if you want to dive deeper into Burmese food!
Some common Burmese ingredients include chickpea flour, lentils, cilantro, chilies, tamarind, lemon grass, and fish sauce.
Burmese Samosas can be very similar to Indian samosas, but they are usually much smaller and only potato based - at least the way my mom makes them. A somewhat easy version is made with thin egg roll wrappers filled with potatoes, cilantro, chilies, lime juice, and fish sauce. They are then fried and cut up. The vegetables included to make it “thoke” can vary, but some additions can be cabbage, tomatoes chilies, raw onions, cucumbers, mint, garlic, and/or cilantro. The dressing usually includes fish sauce, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and tamarind.
Each Samosas Thoke can differ based on taste preference as it is a street food, and my family likes it spicy. Street food can include some amazing finger foods or little bites with large flavor for your New Year’s Celebration.
Now while this salad does take some work, it can be a fun start to dive into the Burmese food world! I included my family’s recipe below, but of course, customize how you wish. I included my Burmese samosa recipe as well but you can also make this recipe with any store-bought or restaurant samosas and it can still be delicious.
Samosa Thoke (Burmese Samosa Salad)
Yield: 20 small samosas, 6 – 8 servings
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
For the Samosas:
1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed small
2 Thai chilies, minced (optional)
1/4 large onion, minced
1/4 bunch of cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoons turmeric
1/8 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Canola oil
10 egg roll wrappers, halved (20 half-wrappers in total)
For the Thoke/Salad:
1 teaspoon fish sauce
2 Tablespoons tamarind paste, fresh* or canned
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 Thai chili, minced (optional)
10 samosas, quartered
1/4 large onion, thinly sliced
1/4 bunch of cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
For the Samosas:
1. In a medium pot, add the potatoes and cover with water, covering a 1/2-inch over the potatoes. Bring the pot to a boil and immediately bring it down to a simmer. Cook until soft but still solid, about 15 - 20 minutes.
2. Drain the potatoes and place back in the same pot, toss together the rest of the samosa filling ingredients. Season as necessary and let cool.
3. Start wrapping the samosas with a cut 1/2 wrapper, place about 2 tablespoons of filling in a corner. Fold in that corner to the opposite long side. With water, wet the opposite long side and then fold the triangle across so that the fold of your triangle is now in line with the other long side. Add more water to the two sides left and fold once more for a small tringle. Press down the seams to seal.
4. Repeat with all of the wrappers.
5. In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, add enough canola oil to about 2 to 4 inches, start heating at medium to low. Once hot, start frying the samosas a couple at a time until brown. Do not overcrowd the pan, work in batches. Let them drain on a paper towel lined plate.
For the Thoke/Salad:
1. In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, tamarind, garlic, and chilies together.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the quartered samosa, onions, cilantro, tomatoes, and to taste the tamarind mixture.
3. Enjoy!
*Fresh tamarind can be made into paste by taking off the hard shell, soaking the insides in just enough hot water to cover and letting sit. When cool enough to handle, start removing the veins and seeds by hand, leaving the paste/soft tamarind behind.
We have a large slate of ethnic cooking classes coming up that you will want to check out if you are interested in broadening your horizons in the new year. Don't miss:
- Hands-On Mediterranean Mezze Thursday, January 9 6pm
- Hands-On Savoring Sicily Friday, January 10 6pm
- Hands-On Meatless Monday: Indian Vegetarian Monday, January 13 6pm
- Hands-On Japanese Homestyle Cooking Thursday, January 23 6pm
- Hands-On Dim Sum Wednesday, January 29 6pm
Samosa Thoke
Ingredients
- 1 large russet potato, peeled and cubed small
- 2 Thai chilies, minced (optional)
- 1/4 large onion, minced
- 1/4 bunch of cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoons turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Canola oil
- 10 egg roll wrappers, halved (20 half-wrappers in total)
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 2 Tablespoons tamarind paste, fresh* or canned
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 Thai chili, minced (optional)
- 10 samosas, quartered
- 1/4 large onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 bunch of cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add the potatoes and cover with water, covering a 1/2-inch over the potatoes. Bring the pot to a boil and immediately bring it down to a simmer. Cook until soft but still solid, about 15 - 20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and place back in the same pot, toss together the rest of the samosa filling ingredients. Season as necessary and let cool.
- Start wrapping the samosas with a cut 1/2 wrapper, place about 2 tablespoons of filling in a corner. Fold in that corner to the opposite long side. With water, wet the opposite long side and then fold the triangle across so that the fold of your triangle is now in line with the other long side. Add more water to the two sides left and fold once more for a small tringle. Press down the seams to seal.
- Repeat with all of the wrappers.
- In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, add enough canola oil to about 2 to 4 inches, start heating at medium to low. Once hot, start frying the samosas a couple at a time until brown. Do not overcrowd the pan, work in batches. Let them drain on a paper towel lined plate.
- In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, tamarind, garlic, and chilies together.
- In a large bowl, toss together the quartered samosa, onions, cilantro, tomatoes, and to taste the tamarind mixture.
