Summarized from: https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/food/how-a-global-snack-became-kolkatas-favourite-street-food/cid/2159271?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-intl#goog_rewarded

  1. Singara, a beloved Bengali snack, is not originally Bengali but traveled to India via Central Asian trade routes during the Sultanate period.
  2. Originally known as samsa, it was a non-vegetarian savory pastry filled with minced lamb, beef, and onions, baked in clay tandoors.
  3. As it evolved in India, samsa transformed into lukhmi in Hyderabad and meat-filled versions are still found in Goa, closer to the original.
  4. The name “singara” in Bengal likely derives from “singhara,” the Hindi term for water chestnut, due to the snack’s conical shape.
  5. The introduction of potatoes by the Portuguese and their expanded cultivation by the British led to the creation of the vegetarian, potato-filled singara.
  6. Singara adapted as street food to be inclusive, with potatoes making it a popular vegetarian option.
  7. Historically, singara was a small, crisp, two-and-a-half-bite evening snack, typically eaten with muri and without chutneys.
  8. A possible precursor to singara in Bengal is jhalpuriya, a fried Bengali snack with a filling of coconut, poppy seeds, garlic, green chilies, and ginger, encased in a lentil paste.
  9. Singara differs from North Indian samosas in its filling (cubed potatoes with peanuts, raisins, and seasonal vegetables, sometimes mutton, versus mashed potatoes) and traditional accompaniments (no chutneys in Bengal).
  10. Variations like the dry Gujarati samosa and “Chinese singara” with noodles are modern adaptations driven by climate, trade, and culinary innovation.