after a particularly BAD experience with store-bought samosay (they were stuck together even when thawed and when u took them apart, the whole filling would come out), i think i’d like to try the home-made kind of samosay, as well as spring rolls since the ones from the store are usually expensive and not very good. This is, assuming, the home-made variety ends up being cheaper as well as tasty 
any tips for a total beginner?
Re: samosay
I have no tips whatsoever 
Re: samosay
do you have sams club or bj's near you? a few people i know buy packaged spring/shrimp rolls from there in big quantities, like the kind you get at chinese restaurants. i have heard they are really good and non-costly also.
for the samosas, i would suggest watching youtube videos on how to make them, you're going to learn so much.
Re: samosay
everyone loooves my mom's spring rolls. i saw her make them for yesterday, atleast i saw most of it.
she basically got a frozen pack of mixed veggies, cabbage, bean sprouts, chicken (grinded), salt, pepper, ajino moto, soy sauce, vinegar, peanut oil. add chili powder if u want it a bit spicy. fry the chicken and then add everythign else and stir fry it. that becomes the filling and then just roll it up and fry.
i also saw her make samosay, mash potatoes, add i think just chili powder and salt and that becomes ur filling. u can obviously add antyhing else u want to these things.
i get everything store bought cuz i dont like making anything but everything thats home made by my mom is significantly tastier and healthier. so def make it urself if u can.
Re: samosay
Spring roll : stir fry a few vegies that you like , cabbage , shredded carrots , capsicum, onion or spring onion .boiled egg , shreaded potatoes etc , add some salt, black pepper, green chilli finely cut , some herbs ..... and ts good to go.
if you want chicken in it as well , just fry some boneless chicken peices , add ginger garlic paste to it , let it be cooked until it becomes really soft, sprinkle some black pepper..... when ready, grind it up and add to the mix above .
Samosay , Cut up boiled potatoes in cubes. grind half an onion ( not into a paste but into a coarse onion mix ) ...
heat up some oil, add some zeera into it , wait a few seconds for it to start crackling , then add the potatoes , make sure the flame is the lowest possible , stir fry the potatoes , then add the onions , when both get slight brownish colour , add the finely chopped green chillies , fresh cilantro , salt , chilli powder ,garam masala ..... and its good to go .
Re: samosay
If the pastry for samosay works out too difficult to make to start off with, you can always put whatever filling you want into puff pastry and bake in the oven.
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can u guys recommend a particular brand of pastry for the wraps? Either desi or from a regular grocery store....
I dont have a working oven, so can't bake...friying is pretty much my only option right now.
Re: samosay
Samosa/roll wraps are the best pick since they save a hell of your time. Filling is also an easy deal. from simply boiled shredded chicken stir fried with veggies of your choice to mince, left over salan, noodles (yes noodles/pasta anything but ofcourse mashed with veggies and meat of your choice) to sausages you can always experiment with filling. The last samosas I made were of the left over alu keema salan. I just add some more sliced onions, finely chopped capsicum, cabbage, stirred fried, added salt, pepper for seasoning plus soysauce and vinergar. You just need to bring in bundle of wraps and refregerate.
Re: samosay
Sara, for the outer coating, you can use filo pastry or that chinese spring roll/wanton pastry... i use those. :)
after a particularly BAD experience with store-bought samosay (they were stuck together even when thawed and when u took them apart, the whole filling would come out),
how were you thawing them? I hope not in microwave ... if you leave them out in the morning and let them thaw at room temp, they should never stick
Re: samosay
OK, you are never supposed to thaw samosay that can be bought in boxes such as Deep brand or Mezbaan brand. You fry them frozen. That is how they remain crispy.
If you want to make samosay at home, here's a filling that is awesome:
Boil potatoes. Cut them into really tiny pieces. Fry some whole coriander seeds, zeera, add dhaniya power, put the aloo and diced green chillies and salt and red chilli powder. Stir fry till coated. Fill into your samosay wraps.
Re: samosay
^^ How did you know all this 
If you have costco membership you can use costco uncooked tortillas and fill them with potatoes.I use niksik recipe too but I boil potatoes and put these spices in it and crush them.Costco uncooked tortillas worked best and they taste like big aloo samosas Now I am feeling hungry.
OK, you are never supposed to thaw samosay that can be bought in boxes such as Deep brand or Mezbaan brand. You fry them frozen. That is how they remain crispy.
exactly.
even the homemade ones dont have to be thawed if you are taking them out of the freezer.
I wanted to thaw them because I only wanted to make a few…not the whole box.
I left them out on the counter for an hour or so.
I dont remember what brand it was…i remember when I’d buy samosas, they’d be individually frozen…this box had em all frozen together..not individually.. i thnk the atta had stuck together…
Oo cant wait to start experimenting 
I once ate samosay made with tortilla wrap and they were pretty good.
Re: samosay
I always thought making samosa wraps from scratch was a pain in the… I think the only person in the world who makes them is my MIL. She only eats homemade samosas that we make together. So, I have started making my own wraps, too and believe me that is easy, too.
Here is a website dedicated to samosas:
Samosa recipes. A Site Dedicated To Making Samosas.
This blog post has very easy instructions for samosa making from the start till the end. I think it would really help a beginner:
Chachi’s Kitchen: Chicken Samosa
As the basic aloo ka samosa has already been explained, here is a recipe for samosas with mince and noodles. My sister makes them with Knorr/Maggi noodles and my kids love them. Just made them for Iftar yesterday and we totally stuffed our faces.
Special Samosay:
Ingredients :
I/2 kg Mince ( beef or mutton)
Half packet Spaghetti (can also use any 5 minute noodles 2 packets)
Eggs boiled 3-4
Green chillis to taste
4-5 red chillis
2 bunch coriander
5-6 black pepper
5-6 clove
1 Bari illaichi
salt.. to taste
red powder chillis to taste
2 table spoons garlic n ginger paste
Oil as required
Samosa wraps
Method :
1-Start by boiling the mince after it has been boiled put oil, salt, red whole chillis, chilli powder, black pepper, cloves, bari illaichi and ginger garlic paste in it and roast the mince thoroughly so that its browned mean while boil the spaghetti.
2- After the mince has been roasted, separate the mince from the khara masala - Bari illaichi and cloves etc.
3- In another pan put some oil put the chopped green chillis, crushed boil eggs, coriander n spaghettis in it n fry them for a short while then mix the mince with this green masala.
4- Wrap up the filling in the pastry strips and fry them.
5- Serve it with sauce or chutney.
Enjoy hot hot Special Samosas!!
TIP:
You can also use chicken mince or skip mince if you don’t eat meat.
Re: samosay
you can use tortilla for samosa
Re: samosay
i actually add a bit of shredded cheddar cheese to my mixture... the samosa turn out divine!!! i also put baby spinach so some green veggies are going inside my bubz's tummy
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wow all this talk about food while fasting is making my tummy scream for samosas!!! lol!