World Samosa Day is celebrated on September 5 every year, and we are excited to celebrate this day by eating the delicious snack. Samosas are a fried pyramid-shaped dish filled with onions, potatoes, cheese, peas, and several other filling options. They are extremely popular in India, Egypt, South Africa, and the Middle East. Generally eaten as appetizers, for Samosa fans, it is a three-course meal, and World Samosa Day is a day of festivities.
History of World Samosa Day
Despite popular belief, samosas did not originate in India where it enjoys extreme popularity. It originated in the Middle East sometime before the 10th century. It was brought to India by traders around the 13th and 14th centuries. Today, samosas are so well-loved in India that they can be found anywhere, from homes to fancy restaurants to roadside vendors.The samosa finds reference in 10th-century gastronomic literature. Many medieval Persian texts mention ‘sanbosag,’ which is an early relative of the samosa and the cousin of the Persian pyramidal pastry, ‘samsa.’ Historical accounts refer to ‘sambusak,’ ‘sabusaq,’ and even ‘sanbusaj,’ as tiny mince-filled triangles eaten by traveling merchants around campfires and packed in saddlebags as snacks for a long journey. According to these references, traveling merchants traveled from Central Asia to North Africa, East Asia, and South Asia, and with them, samosas reached these places.In India, samosas came with Middle Eastern chefs who migrated for employment during the Delhi Sultanate rule. Soon, it became a snack fit for the king. When the medieval Moroccan traveler, Ibn Batuta, visited India in the 14th century, he documented the banquets at the court of Muhammad bin Tughlaq, where ‘sambusak’ — a dish filled with mince, peas, pistachios, almonds, in a triangular pastry — was served to the guests. There have been numerous accounts of people enjoying this historical delight since then.
World Samosa Day timeline
Abul Fazi, one of the nine gems of Akbar’s court, mentions that Mughal Emperors relish samosas.
Many medieval Persian texts mention ‘Sanbosag,’ which is an early relative of the samosa.
Ibn Batuta, the medieval Moroccan traveler, mentions samosas being served to guests of Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Amir Khusaru, a Sufi scholar and musician, writes about samosas being enjoyed by the Indian royal court.
World Samosa Day FAQs
Which country is famous for samosa?
India, specifically South India, is known for samosas.
Which country banned samosa?
Samosas are banned in Somalia.
In which state in India is samosa most famous?
In Gujrat, the patti samosa is very popular.
World Samosa Day Activities
Eat a piping hot samosa
The best way to enjoy World Samosa Day is to eat a samosa. Samosas are best enjoyed hot and fresh out the stove.
Make samosas at home
Nothing is better than homemade samosas. Make it a family event and cook this delicious comfort food with your loved ones in your home kitchen.
Try new recipes
Scout for new samosa recipes online. Better still, go crazy and invent your very own samosa recipe.
5 Yummy Facts About Samosas
Empanadas were inspired by samosas
After eating samosas, the Spanish tweaked the recipe a little and created empanadas.
It was not vegetarian at first
The earliest samosas were made with meat, pistachios, and onions.
It comes in various shapes
In Turkish nations, samosas come in both half-moon shapes and triangles.
It is connected to pyramids
The shape of the classic samosa resembles a pyramid, so it is named after the pyramids of the Middle East.
Vegetable samosas are the most common
Vegetable samosas are the most common samosa type, while only a few countries enjoy meat samosas.
Why We Love World Samosa Day
It celebrates delicious food
Samosas are comfort food for thousands of people. World Samosa Day celebrates this yummy food loved by many.
It has a long history
Samosas are not a recent invention. They have been enjoyed through centuries and even by kings.
It brings people close
Nothing brings people close like sharing food. Samosas are best enjoyed when eaten with people.
World Samosa Day dates