Curry Puff Cravings

Curry puffs are exactly what their name suggests- little pastry puffs filled with curry! It's a common snack in Malaysia that can be eaten anytime of the day and can be found in local coffee shops and bakeries. Personally, I could have them for every meal and never tire of it. So being in Australia and not getting to savor that delicious deep-fried piece of spicy heaven anytime of the day has felt long and empty (withdrawal symptoms?) and after 2 looong years, an epiphany hit- why don't I simply make them myself?

Getting a recipe was pretty easy, thanks to the countless enthusiastic food bloggers more technology advanced homecooks. Naturally, I picked the easiest looking recipe that required the least amount of ingredients and steps. However, I did not follow any recipe closely and simply made adjustments based on personal taste. The recipe below is meat-free and perfect for vegetarians:

Ingredients:

Filling

• Oil
• Curry powder
• Chili powder
• Potatoes (diced)
• Red Onion (finely chopped)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Pastry

• 1 lb plain flour
• 3/4 cup water
• 5oz butter (can be substituted with margarine or shortening)
• Pinch of salt

Steps:

Filling

1. Boil the diced potatoes until tender (not too soft that it falls apart when pierced with a fork) then drain and run under cold water to prevent further cooking. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, sauté onions till golden brown and fragrant.
3. Add in curry powder and chili and fry for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add in potatoes, salt and pepper and fry gently for about 5 minutes.
5. Set aside to cool.

Pastry

1. Mix all the ingredients and knead well.
2. Set dough aside for 30 minutes.
3. Cut the dough into circles (3 inch diameter- size can be altered based on preferences)
4. Place 2-3 tablespoons of filling in the middle of the circle; fold pastry in half to form a half-circle shape.
5. Pinch or braid edges to seal the fillings and prevent them from falling out during cooking (edges will seal better with a little bit of moisture, you can lightly brush the edges with water or egg white).

Cooking

1. Heat up enough oil in a deep saucepan to cover the curry puffs.
2. Deep fry the curry puffs till golden brown and crispy.
3. Wait eagerly for the golden treats to cool and dig in!

Filling cooled and ready to be stuffed into the pastry skins!

Spot the difference! (Go crazy with the shapes, as long as the edges are sealed properly)

Sizzle, crackle, pop! Watch out for the spluttering hot oil.

First attempt - slightly misshaped but delicious nonetheless.

Second attempt using puff pastry - the light crumbly skin contrasts perfectly with the mushy, spicy curry filling!

As you can see, the ingredients are pretty basic and can be found in most kitchens. For the fillings, the exact amounts of each ingredients can be easily adjusted based on preference. For example, adding extra curry powder or chili powder for more oomph!, or reducing/omitting red onion for those who dislike them. There is no exact recipe for a curry puff, and everyone makes it differently, which makes it great fun to tweak and experiment with to come up with your own favourite and signature version!

Below are some yummy variations you can make to the humble and versatile curry puff!

Variations:

1. Add finely diced meat (preferably chicken - Add in the same time as the potatoes)

2. Add diced hard-boiled eggs (Add in the same time as the potatoes)

3. Buy pre-made puff pastry for a lighter, fluffier texture (saves time and make great hors d'oeuvres!)

* For a simple recipe (with exact measurements), click on the link below: 

http://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-curry-puff/2/