Malaysian Curry Puffs

I get fits of nostalgia for Southeast Asian food. Once you've had a whiff of those spices, it's hard to go back! My mother used to make these at Christmas or for birthdays or sometimes when we nagged her to. While the original versions tend to be deep fried and nevertheless are exceedingly delicious, I have become a little obsessed with worries about clogged arteries, and so prefer to bake the patties. The end result is pretty much as tasty as what you'll find on Malaysian streets, with a lot more meat content and a whole barrel less grease!


For the pastry:

• butter, 250g of the real thing, cold and cubed
• plain flour, 500g
• salt, 1 to 1 1/2 tsp
• egg yolk, 1, beaten
• very cold water, a few tbsp

1. In a food processor, pulse the butter, salt and flour till it resembles bread crumbs
2. Add the egg yolk and pulse a few times
3. Add water by the tablespoonful until the pastry comes together
4. Remove from the processor, divide into two discs, wrap and refrigerate

For the filling:

• minced beef or chicken, 300g
• potatoes, 2 large
• onions, 3 medium
• chilli, 1 green, chopped finely
• ginger, 1 1/2 inches worth, minced finely
• garlic, 5 cloves, minced finely
• ground cloves, 1/4 tsp
• ground cummin, 1 tsp
• ground coriander, 1 tbsp
• ground chilli, 3/4 tsp
• coriander leaves, 1 large handful, chopped
• curry leaves, handful
• mustard seeds, 3/4 tsp
• 1 beaten egg, to brush pastries with

1. Preheat the oven to about 200C, 400F
2. Fry the onions, garlic, ginger, chili, along with the mustard seeds and curry leaves till fragrant
3. Add all the ground spices, saute for about five minutes
4. Add the minced beef or chicken, stir till everything is combined
5. Separately, boil the potatoes till almost done, cool, skin and cube
6. Add a little stock or water, cover and cook the meat for 10 mins, then add potatoes
7. Cook for a further 15 minutes, add coriander leaves, stir into the meat, allow to cool
8. Remove the pastry dough from the fridge after 20-30 mins and roll out
9. Cut into small rounds with a pastry cutter
10. Fill with the filling, bring the edges together and combine firmly (you may have to get creative here but you could twist the pastry in the style shown in the picture above)
11. At this stage, the pastries may be frozen for future use
12. Brush the top of the pastries with a mixture of beaten egg
13. Place them on a Pam-ed baking sheet lined with aluminium foil (to save on cleaning)
14. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

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