Justin Woods, head chef at The Castle Green Hotel, Kendal, and Greenhouse restaurant

I love vegetable samosas but when I make them they just fall apart. Any tips?

Charlie Harris, Settle

Vegetable samosas are a staple of Indian cuisine but take a fair degree of skill to make. The biggest reason for non-sticking samosas will be due to the method you are using to join the edges together. I tend to use a thick flour and water paste to bind rather than brushing with something like oil or butter. If you've never tried making your own pastry, it could be worth having a try. Mix together 250g plain flour and 1 tsp salt. Add 2 tsp vegetable oil and 1 egg yolk. Mix till it resembles breadcrumbs, then slowly add 100 ml warm water to form a soft dough. You may need a bit more water or you might not need to add it all. When your dough is made, wrap in cling film and rest for one hour in the fridge. Once your dough has rested, roll out your pastry and then make your samosas, sticking the edges with a glue-like water and flour mix. Have fun!