Five of a Kind: Samosas

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Samosas on Devon

The samosa is one of South Asia's most popular snacks. It’s said they can be traced back to Central Asia and the Middle East where Arab cookbooks from as far back as the 10th century referred to triangle shaped pastries as 'sanbusak,' derived from the Persian term 'Sanbosag’. According to Amir Khusro, a scholar and the royal poet of the Delhi Sultanate, samosas were introduced to the Muslim Delhi Sultanate of South Asia in the early 1300s. Cooks came to Central Asia from the Middle East and worked the kitchens of the Sultan, where nobles and princes enjoyed the newly introduced samosa. From there they gained popularity in other countries like Burma, Kenya, South Africa and Somalia. Pakistani style samosas are my favorite from the samosa family tree. They tend to be a smaller (and cheaper) than their Indian counterparts and are often filled with a spicy mix of ground beef (or lamb) as opposed to potato. A variation is found in Karachi called the Kaghazi samosa which translates to “paper samosa” due to the wrapper being thin and crispy like a spring-roll. I went over to Devon in search of the city’s best Pakistani style samosas and this is what I found... 

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Ghareeb Nawaz 

This is probably the city’s most well known Pakistani restaurant. It’s also one of the best bang for your buck dining destinations in town. They always have a big tray of samosas sitting by the register. When fresh out the fryer they’re some of the crispiest and crunchiest in town but that’s not always the case as they make a large amount which can sit for an extended period. But when piping hot they’re as good as they get in Chicago. The meat has a very nice spice profile though the sauce is a bit lacking. 

Samosas at Ghareeb Nawaz
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Tahoora Sweets & Bakery 

Tahoora is a popular stop for Pakistani and Indian treats. They also have a full menu of savory options including samosas. These were perhaps the fattest of the bunch with the meat having a good kick and the shells nice and crisp. They give you packets of sauce which get the job done but I still prefer the spots that make their sauces on site. Also if you’re looking for sweet samosas this is your spot. 

Samosas at Tahoora Sweets & Bakery 
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Pak Sweets

Here's another spot where one can score all sorts of treats, both sweet and savory and some good sandwiches too (stay tuned). Breakfast is also popular here. The samosas are very good but a little different from the previous spots in that the filling is beef and vegetables. The neon green sauce served with them is what makes these stand out. It’s got real pop in terms of South Asian flavors. 

Samosas at Pak Sweets 
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Makkah Cafe

This place is located right off of Devon on Claremont. I visited in the evening so there were no samosas ready to go like all the other spots but the friendly young lady who was working there happily made me a couple of fresh ones. Fresh is always better and these were on point as far as crispness goes. Inside is a heavily seasoned beef and although these were a tad bit dryer than the others they came with a very tasty yogurt cilantro sauce that kind of hides some of that dryness. 

Samosas at Makkah Cafe 
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Ajwaah Sweets

Ajwaah makes my favorite samosas on Devon. At just $1 each it’s not a surprise to find the filling is only about half ground beef and half greens but it's a fragrant spicing that makes them. I also like how they give you both a green and red dipping sauce. The red is a sweet and sour while the green is a cilantro and mint based chutney. Get there early bc when they’re gone they’re gone for the day.

Samosas at Ajwaah Sweets 
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See ya next time @chibbqking