Sambusa and Batuta

Yes, batuta, not batata, even though samosas do have batata.

Amit Didolkar mails me -

Quick note on the Sambusa being the same as the Samosa ...

Ibn Batuta (he of the land of Morocco), on his travels to Hind came across the Samosa (with minced meat of course not halwai style potatoes .... or the sindhi style cabbage filling inside) ... loved it ..... and described it in great detail in his writings.

I assume as a result of his experiences and fascination, the Rx travelled all the way back to the African continent - with the usual corruptions (a la Indian-Chinese) on the countries his writings would've had an influence in (or he travelled back in).

Old world travellers as first cross-cultural pollinators?