Burmese Samosa Soup recipe

I have always been intrigued by the foods of India’s neighboring countries like Sri Lanka, Burma, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. They all have their own unique ingredients and dishes, but they all seem to be influenced by similar spices and ingredients used in Indian cooking. I thought of exploring Burmese cuisine further as the one dish that is most popular with Indians is Khao Suey. After a quick internet search, I came upon a recipe by Epicurious for Burmese Samusa soup. I realized that Samusa is what we call Samosa in India. I have yet to meet a person who does not like Samosas, so it immediately grabbed my attention.

Burmese Samosa Soup is a delicious and hearty soup that originates from Myanmar (formerly Burma). This soup is a fusion of two beloved dishes – samosas, which are crispy, savory pastry pockets typically filled with spiced potatoes and peas, and soup, which is a comforting and warming bowl of broth-based goodness. The result is a flavorful and comforting soup that is perfect for cold evenings or when you’re in need of some comfort food. In this recipe article, we will guide you through the steps to create this delicious soup, from making the samosas from scratch to simmering them in a flavorful broth. We will also provide tips on how to achieve the perfect balance of flavors, and how to make this soup your own by adding your favorite vegetables and spices. Get ready to indulge in the warm, comforting flavors of Burmese Samosa Soup.

About Burma

Burma’s official name is the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, commonly called Myanmar. It is bordered by the countries of India, Thailand, Laos, China, and Bangladesh. Burmese cuisine is inevitably influenced by the spices, ingredients, and cooking styles of its neighbors.

What is Burmese Samosa Soup?

Samosa Soup or Samusa Thouk, as the Burmese call it, is a popular street food item in Burma. Flaky potato-stuffed fried samosas are dunked in a spicy lentil soup (almost like South Indian sambar) and served with shredded cabbage and a few other toppings of choice.

I made this dish for a couple of my friends for lunch. They absolutely loved the flavors of the dish and gave me a thumbs-up to publish!

To perfect the recipe, I have made this dish four times since and I am still not bored!

The components of the Burmese Samosa Soup

Burmese Samosa Soup is a nice complete vegan meal with flavors that everyone loves. It is a great dish for entertaining as once you buy the samosas and cole slaw mix, all you have to do is make the dal soup and chop up a few other ingredients. The meal comes together in no time at all.

There are 3 main components of the Samosa Soup:

The soup

I used Instant Pot to make the soup. You can easily make it on the stovetop. Follow the same steps as in the recipe and cook the dal (lentils) in a large saucepan on the stovetop. You may have to increase the quantity of liquid that goes into cooking the toor dal (yellow split pigeon peas) on the stovetop. Make sure to cover the pot with a lid and cook on medium flame. I have kept the soup medium hot but you can adjust the spice level to your liking.

Samosa

Large Punjabi-style samosas are used in this recipe. You can either make your samosas at home, buy them frozen from an Indian grocery store or buy them freshly made from an Indian snack shop or restaurant. If you are using frozen samosas, heat them according to the package directions. Once heated and fully cooked, the samosas can be used hot, warm, or at room temperature for the dish. I buy my samosas from a small Indian restaurant that just opened up in our neighborhood.

Garnishes

In my opinion, finely chopped cabbage is the most important garnish for this dish. It provides a nice crunch and freshness to the dish so please don’t skip it. I buy coleslaw mix from the grocery store. It already comes with washed and chopped cabbage and carrots, so some time is saved there! A nice squeeze of lime also provides tang and freshness. You can add cilantro and chopped chilies to your liking.

List of ingredients to make Burmese Samosa Soup

Ingredients for the soup:

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 dried red chilies
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• ½ cup toor dal (yellow split pigeon peas)
• 1 medium Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
• 4 cups vegetable broth (1 quart)
• 1 ½ cups water
• ¼ cup besan (chickpea flour)
• ¼ teaspoon Garam masala
• 1 ½ tsp tamarind paste (I use Tamcon brand)
• ¼ cup finely chopped Cilantro

Ingredients for Serving:

• 6 large Punjabi Samosa
• Lime wedges
• Chopped Thai chilis or jalapenos
• Finely chopped cabbage (can use coleslaw mix)
• Cilantro

A step-by-Step guide to making Burmese Samosa Soup

To make the soup in the Instant Pot:

1. Wash and soak toor dal (yellow split pigeon peas) for at least 4 hours.
2. Roast the besan (chickpea flour) on a medium flame for 4-5 minutes till it slightly changes color. Set aside.
3. Turn on the Instant Pot to saute mode and add 2 tablespoons of oil.
4. When heated add cumin and mustard seeds, bay leaves, and dried red chilies and cook for 30-45 seconds.
5. Add chopped onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
6. Add turmeric, cumin, and red chili powder and mix well.
7. Mix the roasted besan with 1 ½ cups of water.
8. Add drained toor dal, diced potatoes, vegetable broth, and besan/water mix to the cooking onions. Mix well.
9. Cancel out of saute mode, put the Instant pot lid, and secure the valve to sealing.
10. Manual pressure cook it for 3 minutes. When the cooking process is complete and the Instant Pot beeps, Quick release and safely open the lid when all pressure has been released.
11. Add garam masala, tamarind paste, and chopped cilantro to the soup.

To serve the Samosa soup:

1. Break the samosas into 3-4 pieces and place them in a bowl.
2. Pour over 3-4 ladles of the hot soup.
3. The samosa pieces should be covered in hot soup.
4. Garnish with chopped cabbage, Thai chilis, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.

Recipe tips for Burmese Samosa Soup recipe

• I have provided detailed Instant Pot instructions to make the soup. Alternatively, you can also make the soup in the Pressure Cooker. Cook it on a medium flame for 2-3 whistles.
• The samosas can be at room temperature but the soup should be piping hot when you serve the Burmese Samosa soup.
• Some other good topping choices can be onions, spring onions, tomatoes, and shredded carrots.

So give this unique dish a try and enjoy the flavors of Burma via India!

FAQs- Burmese Samosa Soup

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Burmese Samosa Soup – Recipe card