Food Reviews, Desolation Wilderness trip: Potato Samosas with Mango Chutney from Packit Gourmet

Really, really good. SO worth the extra prep time to wrap/fry.

I had low expectations because I'd read a lot of negative reviews about the samosas when prepared cold. But holy shit...prepared hot, these were an easy 10. They needed a little salt and I could easily have eaten twice as much chutney as provided, but that's not really a criticism, is it?


Dennis wanted a bit more mango/fruit flavor in the chutney, but it was a very minor detraction on his part. I really had to strain to think of any criticism, personally. I'd eat these at home.

One package, along with a cocktail of Copper Canyon Mudslides (Horchata with vodka) was enough to satisfy, but not stuff, two hungry adults at lunch after ~5 hours on the trail.

Packit Gourmet Potato Samosas with Mango Chutney

Flavor, Nina: 10/10

Flavor, Dennis: 9/10

Ease of preparation: 7/10

Price: $5.99 + price of tortillas
Would buy again: Yes 

Best for: a shared lunch on a zero day or an easy day, one person's dinner, or dinner for two when combined with another dish.

Praise: fabulously delicious. Filling tastes like authentic samosa filling. Fried tortilla is nice and crispy. Chutney is tangy, spicy, fresh and flavorful. Potatoes are cubed and rehydrate perfectly, a lovely texture.

Criticism: need mo' chutney, needs salt (add to filling before wrapping), needs richness (add extra oil to filling before wrapping), takes time to prepare.

Notes:
Really benefits from rehydration with hot water, an extra sprinkle of salt before wrapping the filling up, and an extra drizzle of oil in the filling before wrapping to enrich.

In a pinch, the filling alone (+ salt and oil) would make a lovely potato-pea curry side dish. If this were how I would be preparing the curry, I'd try to remember some extra freeze dried peas to beef up the veggie proportions.

Filling rehydrated, wrapping tortillas on bear canister table. Sprinkled with salt, drizzled with some extra oil we had on-hand. Be sure to wipe it off after to diminish smell.

The filling prep bag made a good table

Frying the samosas in a nonstick MSR skillet. Worth the weight.

Best when paired with clear skies, meadows, trees and granite. Early afternoon at our Doris Lake site.