What is Sambusa?
If we talk about the name, Sambusa is the Somali and Ethiopian type of samosa. This is a local traditional snack and is usually cooked throughout the holy month called Ramadan. Same as samosa, it is also eaten as a snack at weddings, parties, and events too. In terms of cooking, Sambusa is very similar to Indian Samosa.
However, the material when filled is very different from traditional old samosa. Also, instead of homemade dough sheets, they are always made of prefab spring roll canvas.
What is Samosa?
The Samosa is the dish of South Asia and the Middle East’s, it’s the most popular snacks of the Middle east. It is a traditional appetizer served at various events and parties. It is also served as a tea or party snack in many homes in Asia. Looking at its history, Samosas seem to come from Middle Eastern countries; becoming permanent resident in many of the South Asian cuisines.
However, it has gained popularity only in recent centuries. In terms of preparation, traditional ones are paired with vegetarian potato fillings and the outer lid is made from flour dough.
Sambusa Vs Samosa- Let’s Compare
Let’s compare the things which are different and similar in Sambusa and Samosa.
1. Shape
Although samosa and sambusa are very similar, you will find that they are also similar with respect to their shape. These two snacks are traditionally prepared in the form of a triangle. This is the goal of almost all samosa breeds in the world.
It’s the one thing that hasn’t changed over the centuries of food innovation of other delicacies. You can see a lot of exotic fillings and filler mixes, but the shape is almost always triangular.
2. Stuffing
The first piece of Samosa or Sambusa gives you an instant idea of the typical snack range and this is the flavor of the peeling mix. Stuffing of these samosas changes from one street to another. Even if you use the same ingredients for the samosa filling, you won’t feel the same taste.
So, when comparing samosa and sambusa, you get a different taste. In terms of filling mixes, the selection of ingredients for these two cultures is also significantly different.
In the middle east, you can find most vegetarian samosas that contain a spicy combination of potatoes, peas, and spices. On the other hand, if you look at the Somali or Ethiopian version of these triangular pieces of deliciousness, you’ll notice that it uses a variety of meats to fill it.
In Somalia and Ethiopia, They have moon-based potatoes and sauces, but due to their cultural eating habits, meat-based sauces have more options. Likewise, meat samosas can be found in India, but the demand for this variety is much less than that for the vegetable version of it.
3. Spices
Of course, the second biggest difference in this comparison is spices. Samosa is usually made by mixing powdered and whole spices. But sambusa doesn’t need seasoning to fill. They only need some cumin seeds and coriander powder. You can also use black pepper powder and garam masala powder for sambusa.
4. Frying
As technology advances, they have served a variety of varieties, including baked samosa.
However, if you ask the true love of samosa, you will find that the stylish modern alternative is not as good as the traditional ones. Samosa is usually fried in hot oil or ghee and this is one of the reasons fried snacks taste better than grilled snacks. On the other hand, Sambusa is also deep-fried.
Frying is the traditional way to prepare these two appetizers. Did you know? the frying method helps in several ways in the kitchen; First, it kills any harmful bacteria or germs that may be present in your snack. It also increases the shelf life of these snacks.
Summing Up
It is so interesting that Sambusa and Samosa have such a close relationship but are two different snacks. Their culinary styles are slightly different, but they give you an idea of a food trip from one continent to another in earlier times. If you were also confused between these two snacks. Hopefully, reading this article helped you in clearing the difference.