SPIRAL CURRY PUFFS (KARIPAP PUSING 螺旋咖喱角)

Spiral Curry Puffs, also known as Karipap Pusing (螺旋咖喱角) are a tasty and favourite Asian snack especially in Malaysia and Singapore. They are quite similar to the western puff or pies except that for this curry puff, it is filled with spicy, sweet and savoury potato filling and is deep fried to give the crispiness instead of baked. Nothing beats homemade curry puffs, especially freshly fried spiral curry puffs!

INGREDIENTS
200 gram chicken breast, cut into cubes

3 tbsp meat curry powder, add water to form into paste

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 big onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 eggs, hard boiled and cut into wedges

300 gram orange sweet potatoes, cut into small cubes

100 gram potatoes, cut into small cubes

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

2 cups warm water

1 bunch curry leaves, minced

(Water Dough Pastry):

400 gram all-purpose flour, sifted

2 eggs, room temperature

100 ml warm water

1/4 tsp salt

(Oil Dough Pastry):

200 gram all-purpose flour, sifted

150 gram margarine, melted

See The Original Recipe On My Website

Step 1: Start by Preparing the Curry Puff Filling.

Cut chicken into small pieces.

Peel and cut the potatoes (sweet potatoes and normal potatoes) into small cubes.

Dice big onion and mince garlic and curry leaves.

Add enough water into curry powder and mix into a paste.

Hard boil the eggs and cut into small wedges and set aside.

Chicken meat:

Use chicken breast meat or any cuts of chicken meat.

Potatoes:

Choose the medium-starch potatoes for this recipe.

When buying potatoes, look for those that are clean, smooth, firm-textured with no cuts, bruises or discolouration.

Avoid potatoes that have started to sprout as they're old. Store potatoes in a location that is dry, cool, dark and ventilated. Light triggers the production of toxin (green on the skin of potato).

Basically, potatoes fall into 3 categories: starchy, waxy (low starch) and those in-between (medium starch).

Those with a high starch content,e.g. Russets are great for baking and frying.

The less starchy potatoes, e.g. most red-skinned ones, have a more waxy texture. They work well for dishes like soups, stews and potato salad where you need to boil, slice or roast. It usually has a thin skin.

The medium-starch potatoes e.g Yukon Gold are more all-purpose potatoes and they work in most potato dishes.

Sweet Potatoes:

Choose the orange-flesh variety for this recipe. This variety has a thicker, more colourful skin with bright orange flesh. It is much sweeter and moister than other varieties. Look for potatoes that are small to medium in size, with smooth, unbruised skin. Do not refrigerate them as it speeds up the deterioration.

Big Onions:

Choose onions that are firm for their size and have little to no scent. Avoid bulbs with cuts, bruises or blemishes.

Garlic:

Garlic bulbs should be plump and compact with unbroken, dry skin. Avoid those with damp or soft spot. A heavy, firm bulb indicates that the garlic will be fresh and flavourful.

Eggs:

Use fresh, room temperature eggs.

Curry Powder:

Use MEAT curry powder. Curry powder is usually a mixture of turmeric, chilli powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground ginger and pepper and is usually made into a paste by adding some water before use.

Curry Leaves:

Fresh curry leaves are aromatic and flavourful leaves with a pungent lemony flavour. Choose the leaves that are bright, dark green without signs of browning or bruising. They can last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Step 2: Cook the Curry Puff Filling.

To cook the filling, first heat up oil in pan, then saute minced garlic and onion over medium heat.

Add in meat curry paste and stir fry till aromatic.

Next, add chicken cubes and cook for a few minutes. Make sure the chicken is entirely coated in the curry paste.

Then slowly add in the warm water and bring the liquid to a boil.

Step 3: Add Potatoes and Seasonings.

Once boiled, add in all the cut potatoes.

Season with salt and sugar.

Then, cover and cook till the potatoes have softened and the curry forms a dry curry mixture.

Step 4: Add Minced Curry Leaves.

Stir in the minced curry leaves. And we're done with the curry puff's filling.

Set aside to cool while you make the pastry for the curry puffs.

Step 5: Prepare Ingredients Needed to Make the Curry Puff Pastry.

To make the curry puff pastry, we need to make the WATER dough and OIL dough.

Ingredients for WATER dough are flour, salt, eggs and warm water.

Ingredients for OIL dough are flour and melted butter or margarine.

Step 6: Start by Making the WATER Dough.

To make the WATER dough:

First, lightly beat 2 eggs.

Then, combine sifted flour, salt, lightly beaten eggs and water in a large mixing bowl and knead to form a soft dough.

Knead well until smooth.

Next, cover with tea towel and leave aside for at least 30 minutes.

Divide rested WATER dough into 22 equal pieces of 25g each.

Note:

Divide WATER dough and OIL dough into equal no of pieces. You can choose any amount but WATER dough must be larger than OIL dough.

Step 7: Then, Make the OIL Dough.

While leaving aside the WATER dough to rest, make the OIL dough.

First, combine sifted flour and melted margarine in a mixing bowl. Blend in the melted margarine to form a soft dough. Then, divide into 20 - 22 even pieces of 15g each.

Note:

Divide WATER dough and OIL dough into equal no of pieces. You can choose any amount but WATER dough must be larger than OIL dough.

Step 8: Make the Curry Puff Pastry Skin.

To make the curry puff pastry:

First flatten each piece of WATER dough into a flat circle.

Then, place a piece of OIL dough in the centre.

Gather edges of WATER dough to enclose the OIL dough. Repeat the same for the rest of the WATER and OIL dough.

Be sure to cover the combined WATER and OIL round pastry with a damp cloth to prevent the pastry from drying out.

Step 9: Then, Make the Spiral Effect on the Pastry Skin.

To produce the spiral effect for the curry puff pastry:

First, flatten and roll out the combined round pastry on a lightly floured surface into a long rectangular shape with a rolling pin.

Next, roll up from one end to the other like a swiss roll.

Then, turn the rolled dough upright.

Flatten out the dough again into a long rectangular shape.

Next, roll up like a swiss roll again. Repeat for the rest of the combined pastry dough.

Cut each of the small rolled dough into two equal halves with a sharp knife. The circles can be clearly seen on each piece of the cut dough.

Note:

Roll the flatten dough tightly to ensure clear spiral lines in pastry.

Step 10: Flatten the Cut Pastry Skin for Wrapping Filling.

To flatten each half of the cut dough, place cut side DOWN on lightly floured surface.

Using a rolling pin, press it flat and shape into a round shape with circles.

Position the flatten dough with circles sits like a half-moon before adding filling in centre.

Step 11: Making the Curry Puffs.

First, put 1 tablespoon of curry meat filling and a slice of egg in the centre of the flattened UNCUT side.

Fold and shape into a half-moon and pinch the edges together to seal in the filling.

Pleat up the edges neatly and decoratively.

Repeat the same for the rest of the flattened cut pastry skin and we're done making the curry puffs. Then prepare to deep-fry the curry puffs.

Note:

Do not worry if the pleating is less than perfect. It's the imperfection of homemade that actually makes it perfect. Just make sure that the edges are completely sealed.

Step 12: Then, Deep-fry the Curry Puffs.

To deep fry, heat up enough oil. Sizzle some curry leaves in the hot oil to add flavour to the oil Then, remove the curry leaves once they crisp up.

In batches, gently lower the curry puffs, one at a time, into the hot oil and allow for gentle bubbling over medium heat till light golden brown.

Turn the curry puffs ONLY when one side is near light brown and crispy. Continue to deep fry on the other side until cooked.

Remove the cooked curry puff from the hot oil with a strainer.

Note:

Fry in badges to prevent overcrowding.

Oil must be very hot before putting in the curry puffs and fry with medium heat.

Step 13: Drained the Deep Fried Curry Puffs.

Drain the crispy curry puffs on paper towels before serving to remove excess oil. And we're done!

Note:

The crust of these spiral curry puffs are more crunchy than the normal curry puffs and the skin remains crunchy and crispy even after several hours.

Step 14: Serve These Curry Puffs Warm.

These curry puffs are best eaten shortly after deep-frying when the curry puffs are warm but not hot. They made a perfect snack especially when served with hot coffee or tea. As always, Enjoy!

Note:

The curry puffs are suitable for freezing and fried just before serving. Place the curry puffs on plastic sheets and set each piece separately before putting in the freezer.

To fry frozen curry puffs, do not thaw the curry puffs. Fry them in low heat and remove when the curry puffs turn light brown in colour.