Chana potli samosas made with 100% whole wheat are bite sized healthier versions of the popular and beloved Indian snack, the samosa. These are super simple to make with ingredients that are readily available. Let’s dive in…

What is Chana Potli Samosa

Chana (chickpea) potlis (bags) are innovatively shaped appetizers that look exactly like bonsai versions of burlap sacks. They taste just like regular samosa with the ‘Chana’ only indicating the filling (Aloo Potli Samosas as an example would be potato filled samosas). Not only do these look cute on the outside, they’re also filled with nutritious and yummy chickpeas on the inside. 

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What you will need to make Chana Potli Samosa

Ingredients 

For the outer dough

1. 1 cup whole wheat flour
2. 2 Tbsp. rice flour
3. 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
4. 2 Tbsp. ghee 
5. ½ tsp. ajwain seeds / thyme
6. ½ tsp. salt
7. ½ cup plus 1-2 tsp. water 

For the inner filling

1. 4 cups chickpea, boiled or canned
2. 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
3. 1 tsp. dark pomegranate seed powder – optional
4. 2 Tbsp. ghee
5. 1 tsp. cumin
6. 1 inch ginger , finely chopped
7. 1 garlic pod, finely chopped – optional
8. 1 Tbsp. paprika chili powder or kashmiri red chili
9. 1 tsp. coriander powder
10. 1 tsp. dry mango powder
11. 1 tsp. garam masala 
12. Salt to taste (I use 2 tsp. salt)

For deep frying

500 ml cooking oil (I use Avocado oil)

Plating

1. 2-3 fresh spring onions
2. Cilantro Yogurt Dip

Equipment

1. Instant Pot / pressure cooker for cooking chickpeas or alternatively, just use canned garbanzo beans
2. Flat bottom pan
3. Flat ladle
4. Rolling mat / chakla
5. Rolling pin / belan
6. Pizza cutter / butter knife
7. Deep frying pan
8. Slotted ladle
9. Large plate

A note on key ingredients

Whole wheat flour is used in making the potlis. Traditionally, these are made with maida (all purpose flour) to give a crispy texture to the final dish. As many of you know, we have said goodbye to all purpose flour from our pantry for health reasons but not once have we regretted it. By adding rice flour and cornstarch to whole wheat flour we can achieve fantastic results with absolutely no compromise on taste or texture. You have to try these to believe it!

How to prepare Chana Potli Samosa – An Overview

Making chana potli involves three important steps. Prepare the dough and the filling, shape the potlis, deep fry and serve.

Tips before you begin

📝 Pay attention to the ratio of flour to ghee. If you use excess ghee, the potlis could break apart while frying and if you use excess flour, you’ll not get the full flavor of the chickpeas and get overwhelmed by dough

📝 If using whole wheat baking flour, give it a pulse in the blender before using for a softer texture of the dough. Usually 100% whole wheat flour has more husk than other bread flour and this tip will reduce the coarse texture of the flour

📝 While frying these potlis in oil, make sure to set the oil on medium heat and allow it it to fry slowly to ensure even frying of the dough. Sometime midway, increase the heat and fry evenly to achieve a golden brown color. If you have it at high heat right from the start, the outer part of the dough will quickly change color giving you an impression that they’re done, but leaving the inner part of the dough uncooked.

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How to make Chana Potli Samosa – Instructions with step-by-step images

Prepare the dough and filling

Skip steps 1 & 2 if using canned chickpeas

Step 1 – Soak 2 cups of chickpeas overnight or for 8 hours and pressure cook in an Instant Pot using 2 cups of water. Set the pot on Manual high for 12 minutes with valve in sealing

Step 2 – When the pressure in the Instant Pot releases naturally, carefully open the pot lid, drain excess water and set the boiled chickpeas aside

Do not throw the water that was used to boil the chickpeas. This is nothing but aquafaba – a great substitute for egg whites in recipes. It can be used for baking eggless buns or can be added to soups and stews for thickening

Step 3 – In a medium size bowl, combine 1 cup whole wheat flour, 2 Tbsp. rice flour, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, ½ tsp. ajwain seeds, ½ tsp. salt and 2 Tbsp. ghee. Ensure the ghee is well incorporated into the flour. You can check this by pressing a handful of the dough in your palm and it will clump together

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Step 4 – Now add ½ cup water and knead the flour to a tight dough

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Depending on the nature of the flour you might need an additional 1-2 tsp. water

Feel free to use a stand mixer to knead the dough when doubling the ingredients in this recipe

Step 5 – Set a flat bottom pan on medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds and dry roast until its aroma starts to fill the room. Now add 1 tsp. dark pomegranate seed powder (optional ingredient), roast for 30 seconds and transfer to a dry surface (rolling mat / cutting board). Crush the seeds with a rolling pin and set aside

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Step 6 – Bring the flat bottom pan back to medium heat and add 2 Tbsp. ghee, add 1 tsp. cumin and allow it to crackle. Now add 1 inch ginger (finely chopped), 1 garlic pod (finely chopped), and cook for 30 seconds. Do not burn the ginger and garlic or else it will give a bitter taste to the filling

Step 7 – Add 2 cups of the boiled chickpeas from step 2 and give it a quick mix. Now spice it up with 1 tsp. coriander powder, 1 Tbsp. paprika chili powder or kashmiri red chili, 1 tsp. dry mango powder, 1 tsp. garam masala, and some salt to taste (I use 2 tsp. salt). Mix it well until the chickpeas are thoroughly coated and cook for about five minutes to allow the spices to infuse into the chickpeas. Turn off the heat and set this aside

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Shape the potlis

Step 8 – Divide the dough from step 4 into 5 equal parts. Roll out each part into a 10 inch flat circle like a roti / tortilla. Cut off the rounded edges and divide the flat bread into four equal parts to make imperfect squares

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Step 9 – Fill each section with 1 Tbsp. of the chickpea filling (this is about 8 chickpeas or so) from step 7. Now bring the four corners of the dough to make a pleated sack (potli) and seal the opening by pressing with your thumb and index fingers. Ensure not to press the top ends of the four corners of the dough, as this forms the beautiful petal like shape that looks like a money bag (surukku pai in Tamil) and set aside

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Step 10 – Set 500ml oil in a deep frying pan and heat until it reaches 350° F 

Step 11 – Continue to make potlis with the rest of the dough and filling. This measure makes about 20 chana potli samosas

Fry and serve

Step 12 – When the oil reaches 350°F, slowly drop the potlis one at a time (you can fry about 5-6 per batch) and start frying. As the potlis start to change color, increase the temperature to 375°F to get to the desired golden color. Using a slotted ladle, remove the fried chana potlis and place them on a kitchen paper towel

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Step 13 – For a better plated look, slit the green portion of the spring onions lengthwise into thin strips and tie it around the top of the potli. Enjoy your sublime Chana Potli Samosas with Cilantro Yogurt dip, sweet chutney made of dates, or ketchup

How I learnt about this recipe 

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Related Recipes

• Black-eyed Pea Petites
• Cilantro Yogurt Dip

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Recipe card – Chana Potli Samosa

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