Most have sampled a meat or vegetable samosa, but many are unaware of the process of making a key part of the popular snack, and the number of people involved in it.

The days when making samosas was a lengthy process are long gone – now, the delicate pastry, also known as patti, in which the filling for the samosa is wrapped and then fried, is readily available in the market.

Several shops in the narrow streets of Raja Bazaar have opened over the last decade that make and sell samosa roll patti, which people can then buy and use to make samosas at home. These shops sell packets of a dozen or two or three dozens, and four to five people are involved in the process of making the dough.

First, one person makes fine wheat flour, salt and water into a dough, which is then kneaded and flattened by another. A third individual adds a layer of oil and hands the flatbread over to a fourth person, who spreads the dough onto a large pan so it can cook lightly on either side.

Then another helper cuts the pastry into appropriate sizes and packs it away to be sold.

Shop owner Muzzafar Iqbal told Dawn: “We have been making samosa patti for the last 20 years in the city. We supply the sweet shops, food outlets and average citizens.”

He said many sweet shops make the filling themselves, but they purchase the samosa patti.

Mr Iqbal added that making the patti is tricky work – kneading the dough the wrong way will spoil the taste of the samosa – which is why many people prefer to buy it premade. He said the outer layer of the samosa should be lightweight and crispy.

Most restaurants and sweet shops purchase the patti because they cannot find people who are experts at making it themselves, Mr Iqbal said. He added that in the old days, people would work all night to make samosas, which also cost more.

“The recipe for the patti is simple – the dough is made from fine wheat flour, salt and water. We bake the pastry on either side. Making samosa patti is similar to making puri, but puri is deep-fried in oil and the samosa patti is baked in a large pan.”

Mohammad Azhar, a customer, said readymade samosa patti has made things easier for home cooks. “The outer crust of the samosa should be fine and crisp, and the readymade patti is made according to the standard size. It also helps give the samosa the right triangular shape,” he said.

Fatima Hussain, who was buying samosa patti from the shop, said a thick outer layer ruins the taste of the samosa.

“After a bite of a thick [outer] layer, all you can taste is the wheat flour. It is better not to experiment and just buy premade samosa patti,” she said.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2017