PLUMP golden pastry parcels, bursting with spiced fillings of vegetables or meat, dipped in a sweet chutney or drizzled with tangy lemon juice – who can resist a samosa?

Now talented cook and ambitious entrepreneur, Bhagini Marshall, is bringing an authentic taste of India – though India via Zimbabwe – to Swindon diners.

Using her mother’s traditional recipe, Bhagini has set up a business called Samosas2go and is supplying freshly made, delicious samosas for parties and events – or simply to homes that like samosas.

For the mum of four, who lives in Toothill, it is a dream come true as she has always longed to set up her own enterprise.

“I used to make samosas for friends and family, and people would say how amazing they were, and how tasty, and that they needed to be on the market,” Bhagini said. “Since I was 18 I have always wanted to start my own business. I always imagined I would find a way to use my talents.”

Those talents have their roots in a café in the town of Chinhoyi, in Zimbabwe, opened by Bhagini’s parents in 1979.

Her grandfather, Govind Lalla, emigrated to Zimbabwe (then called Rhodesia) in 1923, where he started his own business. Bhagini’s father Balloo was born in Zimbabwe, and went to India to meet his bride, 16-year-old Surat Jasu.

“My dad was looking for a wife, and in those days, that was the age to get married,” Bhagini said.

They were an ambitious and hard-working couple, with a real entrepreneurial spirit. As well as opening their café, Bhagini’s father opened a bakery and a soap factory. They also had six children.

“My mum made her own pies, doughnuts, sausage rolls and hamburgers in the café – all freshly made in the kitchen,” Bhagini recalled. “She also made samosas.

“They were loved by friends and locals, and they would buy six, 12, 18 – she made massive orders.”

As a little girl, Bhagini spent time in the café. She saw how popular the samosas were, with travellers, boarding school students and local people, so they became known far and wide.

“I used to watch my mother make them – the spices being thrown inside, the massive pots and massive stove.

“I would sneak a bit to try and it was so tasty. I watched and learned.”

Samosas are reckoned to have their roots in the middle-east and were introduced to India by traders from central Asia in the 13th or 14th century. Now they are made across India, though Bhagini explained that different regions had their own traditions and recipes, or their own preferred spices to use in their samosas.

She grew up and was educated in Zimbabwe, and recalls a wonderful childhood in the country.

“It was beautiful – a wonderful country – very scenic. The people are amazing there,” she said.

On leaving school, Bhagini went to college and took a secretarial course. She became a legal secretary, personal assistant and executive secretary and worked for a variety of firms. She moved to the UK in 2000, hoping to advance her career and did a Support For Learning foundation degree. She met and married her husband, and now has four children, as well as a job as a teaching assistant.

Now her children are a little older (ranging in age from 10 to 15), Bhagini, 48, decided it was time to follow her dream and launch the new enterprise.

“I thought, the time has come for me,” she said. “I need to do it! When I hear about other people starting up projects I get so excited and happy for them. I am always very enthusiastic and helpful – and now I want to have a go myself.”

She received certification from Swindon Borough Council and prepares her samosas from home, using her mother’s recipe. Her samosas do not contain eggs, dairy, nuts or ghee and buys her pastry and vegetables locally.

She makes samosas with a variety of fillings, such as healthy turkey mince, chicken, beef, lamb, and vegetables. Bhagini takes orders by phone or online, and will deliver orders for a small fee in the Swindon area. They are available fresh-cooked or frozen, in regular and in bite-size, in batches of a dozen – perfect for parties, buffet lunches and events.

“I sell them frozen too, so people can cook them when they want,” she explained. They can be deep- or shallow-fried.

Although the business has only been up and running a year, she has had some big-name clients, including Nationwide. To date, her biggest order has been for 200 samosas, which she delivered to a function in Swindon. Her samosas are also available at Purton House Organics, and the Wood Street Foodhall in Swindon.

“I’m so happy people enjoy them and love them, and I would like to extend the business further, so I can try different ones,” she said. “These are authentic Indian samosas – not the same as the ones people buy in the stores, which are not what we would eat in our own homes.”

While Bhagini is currently still working as a teaching assistant, she is spending her spare time working hard on the new business.

“I love meeting people and talking to the customers,” she said. “I’ve been taking samples to stores, and ask if they would like to sell them.”

Back in Chinhoyi, Bhagini’s parents are retired but still their samosas are still selling in the café, and her parents like to pass the time visiting the café and chatting with the customers.

“They are proud of what I am doing,” Bhagini said. “It is something I have taken from them. I still go to my mum for advice, and she is guiding me still.”

For more information about Samosas2go, visit www.samoosas.co.uk.