Samsa (food) facts for kids
Uzbek somsas
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| Alternative names | Somsa |
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| Place of origin | Central Asia |
| Associated national cuisine | |
Samsa is a delicious savory pastry. It's a popular snack in many countries in Central Asia. Imagine a small bun filled with tasty ingredients. People often eat samsa as a quick and warm snack.
Contents
What is Samsa?
Samsa is a type of pastry that is usually baked. It's often shaped like a triangle or a square. The outside is made of dough, and the inside has a yummy filling. Samsa is a very common food in countries like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. You can also find it in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China.
How Are Samsas Made?
Most samsas are baked, not fried. This is different from a similar snack called samosa, which is often fried. Traditional samsas are baked in a special clay oven. This oven is called a tandoor. The dough for samsas can be a simple bread dough. Sometimes, it's a layered pastry dough, which makes it flaky.
What's Inside a Samsa?
The most common filling for samsa is a mix of minced lamb and onions. But you can find many other fillings too! Some popular choices include chicken, minced beef, or cheese. When certain vegetables are in season, you might also find samsas filled with potato or pumpkin.
Where Can You Find Samsas?
In Central Asia, samsas are often sold on the streets. They make a great hot snack! You can buy them at small shops called kiosks. Some kiosks only sell samsas, while others sell them along with other fast foods. Many grocery stores also sell samsas that they buy from local bakers.
Similar Snacks
There is a snack called samosa that has a similar name. Samosas are usually deep-fried and are very popular in India and South Asia. While they share a similar name, samsas are typically baked and are a staple in Central Asian cuisine.
Gallery
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Samsa preparation in a tandoor
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Uyghur-style samsas
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Samsa in Kyrgyzstan
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Samsa in a cafe in Russia
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A Turkmen samsa
See also
In Spanish: Samsa para niños
