Samsa (food)

Samsa

Uzbek somsas
Alternative names	Somsa
Place of origin	Central Asia
Associated cuisine	Kazakh cuisine Kyrgyz cuisine Tajik cuisine Turkmen cuisine Uyghur cuisine Uzbek cuisine
Media: Samsa

Uyghur-style samsas

Fergana samsa

Samsa (Template:Lang-tg, Template:Lang-kk, Template:Lang-ky, Template:Lang-ug, Template:Lang-uz) is a savoury meat pastry in Central Asian cuisines.

In present-day nations of Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, as well as Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, samsas are almost always baked and never fried. The traditional samsa is often baked in the tandoor, which is a special clay oven. The dough can be a simple bread dough or a layered pastry dough. The most common filling for traditional samsa is a mixture of minced lamb and onions, but chicken, minced beef and cheese varieties are also quite common from street vendors. Samsas with other fillings, such as potato or pumpkin (usually only when in season), can also be found. Central Asian samsa resemble buns stuffed with beef or lamb and vegetables.

In Central Asia, samsas are often sold on the streets as a hot snack. They are sold at kiosks, where only samsas are made, or alternatively, at kiosks where other fast foods (such as hamburgers) are sold. Many grocery stores also buy samsas from suppliers and resell them.

See also

• Chebureki
• Meat pie
• Öçpoçmaq
• Pasty
• Samosa
• Turnover
• List of stuffed dishes