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Yum, but...

Samosas, loaded with trans fats and calories, aren't healthy

Biting into potato-stuffed samosas with a dash of mint chutney and following it up with piping hot chai is an established ritual of office life and college life in India. But like so many of the foods in our daily life — tea, coffee, chillies, potatoes and tomatoes — samosa too is an import.

Samosa originated in central Asia, probably Persia, around the 10th Century C.E. These fried dough dumplings with calorie-rich stuffing were ideal snacks for a nomadic life. Samosas kept for long and they required very few ingredients. The earliest samosas had ground meat stuffing, and the modern central Asian versions are still meat-based. The modern potato stuffing came after the discovery of the New World, the home of the potato.

In India, samosa became popular after it charmed the palates of kings and emperors. Like biryani, it became an iconic dish in Mughal cookbooks. Samosas usually have vegetarian stuffing made from seasoned potatoes, cauliflower, green peas, onions and herbs, with the occasional dash of limejuice. Some varieties have meat stuffing. The smaller varieties, served along with tea in Irani cafes, have grated onion stuffing.

The calories in samosa depend on its size, stuffing and frying medium. Generally, the larger ones can have up to 350 calories and smaller, around 150. Healthy samosas are hard to come by. However, some Indian takeaways in the West have come up with baked versions and samosas deep-fried in olestra, a low-calorie oil substitute. Samosas served in Indian restaurants and cafes are usually fried in oil that has been used and reused. This oil is brimming with trans fats that can cause cancer and arteriosclerosis. Samosas also contain too much salt. Diabetics, heart disease patients and weight watchers would benefit from a little caution when it comes to this snack.

RAJIV. M

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