Samsa (food)

Samsa

Uyghur-style samsas
Alternative names	Somsa
Place of origin	Central Asia
Associated cuisine	Kazakh cuisine Kyrgyz cuisine Uyghur cuisine Uzbek cuisine
Media: Samsa

Samsa (Kazakh: самса, Kyrgyz: самса, Template:Lang-ug, Uzbek: somsa) is a savoury meat pastry in Central Asian cuisines.

In Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Xinjiang, 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
• Samosa
• Turnover
• List of stuffed dishes