Recipe: Sambussa (Ethiopian)

SAMBUSSA (ETHIOPIAN)

1 cup brown lentils
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 won-ton wrappers
2 teaspoons sweet Hungarian paprika
1 egg yolk, beaten with
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated peeled
1 teaspoon coriander seed, ground
oil for deep-frying

Rinse the lentils and bring them to a boil in the water. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are translucent.

Add the spices and chopped green peppers and simmer, covered, for 3 minutes, stirring often. Remove the pan from the heat.

When the lentils are tender, combine them with the sauteed vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the won ton wrappers in half to form rectangles. Place a wrapper vertically on a flat surface and brush it with the beaten egg mixture. Put a rounded tablespoon of the filling on the lower end of one of the rectangles. Fold the left bottom corner up and over the filling until it meets the right edge of the wrapper and forms a triangle. Next, flip the filled triangle up and over, folding along its upper edge. Then fold it over to the left on the diagonal. Continue folding until you reach the end of the wrapper and have formed a neat triangular package. Repeat this process with the other won ton wrapper rectangles.

Deep-fry each pastry until golden in 2 or 3 inches of oil heated to 360 degrees F. You can keep the fried sambussas in a warm oven until they are all prepared and ready to be served. Sambussas are best eaten hot.

Makes 16 pastries
Source: Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant