Deep-Fried Triangles Of Spicy Goodness: Where Did Samosa Come From?

Samosas, a popular Indian snack, feature variations across regions: Bengali shingara with spiced cauliflower, Gujarati bite-sized onion samosas, and Goa’s chamuças with minced meat. Yet, the samosa's origins are traced to Central Asia. Influenced by Persian cuisine, it entered India through traders, resembling Persia's sambūsa—historical records like the Nimatnama and writings of travelers Ibn Battuta and Amir Khusrau detail early meat-filled samosas. By the 16th century, Abu Fazl’s Ain-i-Akbari referenced a similar dish, the Qutab, which Indians called sambuca, highlighting its rich, global culinary history.