Somsa is a beloved Uzbek pastry consisting of flaky, golden-brown dough filled with juicy minced lamb, tender onions, and aromatic spices. These hearty, triangular-shaped pastries are a popular street food and essential part of Uzbek cuisine, enjoyed throughout the day as a satisfying snack or light meal.

The origins of somsa can be traced back to ancient times along the Silk Road, where traders needed portable, filling foods for their long journeys. The dish shares similarities with samosas found in Indian cuisine, highlighting the historical cultural exchanges between Central and South Asia.

Traditional Uzbek somsa is baked in a tandoor oven, giving it a distinctive crispy exterior and perfectly cooked filling. The dough is carefully rolled thin and brushed with oil or butter to create multiple layers that become wonderfully flaky during baking. The filling typically combines finely chopped lamb with onions, black pepper, and cumin, though the spice blend can vary by region and family recipe.

While lamb is traditional, modern variations include beef, chicken, or even pumpkin for vegetarian options. Some regions add diced potatoes or fat from the lamb's tail for extra richness. The shape can also vary, with some bakers creating round or crescent-shaped versions, though the triangle remains most common.

In Uzbekistan, somsa is often enjoyed as a breakfast item or afternoon snack, typically served piping hot with hot green tea. During Ramadan, it becomes an especially popular choice for iftar, the evening meal that breaks the daily fast. Street vendors and traditional bakeries often have long queues of customers waiting for fresh batches to emerge from the tandoor.

A single somsa typically contains around 300-350 calories, providing a good balance of protein from the meat and carbohydrates from the pastry. While delicious, they are relatively high in fat due to the buttery dough and meat filling, so those watching their fat intake should enjoy them in moderation. The pastry contains gluten, making it unsuitable for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. When eating hot somsa, be careful as the steam trapped inside can be very hot when first bitten into.