Contributor: Ho Siew Loon
I would like to thank my mother-in-law, a refined Nyonya cook for sharing this recipe with me. It is a very traditional way of making spiral curry puffs. As a traditional cook, her cooking is always based on estimation and last weekend, I have managed to get the recipe and the measurement down. The crispiness of the skin blended together with the spicy chicken curry and potatoes is just perfect for a relaxing afternoon tea…(get curry puff recipe after the jump)
Curry puff is a very popular Asian snack especially in Malaysia and Singapore. It is quite similar to the western puff or pies except that for this curry puff, it is deep fried to give the crispiness. The skill in this popular snack lies in the making of the skin. But once you have mastered it, this popular snack will definitely be a hit at your parties.
Ingredients:
Filling Ingredients
1kg chicken meat, diced
1kg potatoes, diced
500g onions, diced
4-5 curry leaves
2-3 Tbsp curry powder
15 dried chillies
8 shallots
125ml water
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
5 Tbsp oil
Pastry Ingredients:
Water Dough
900g flour
1.5tsp salt
335g water
Oil Dough
340g butter
20g Ghee (optional)
730g flour
Method:
Filling
- Soak dried chillies in hot water for 5 minute. Rinse and blend together with shallots till fine. Mix in curry powder.
- Heat oil in wok and saute chilly paste and curry leaves till fragrant.
- Add in diced chicken, potatoes. Fry for 3 minutes on medium fire. Add in onions and water. Simmer for 5 minutes or until almost dry.
- Remove to cool.
Dough
Water Dough
- Mixed salt to water to make salt water.
- Add salt water to flour gradually and slowly knead to form a nice white dough.
- Divide into portions of 85 gram each. Roll into a ball.
- Leave aside.
Oil Dough
- Add butter and ghee to flour and knead to form a dough.
- Divide into 70 grams portion each.
To make spiral skin
- Flatten the water dough and wrap the oil dough inside. Pinch the edges to seal it nicely.
- Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to form a rectangle of 20 x 11 cm. Working on the shorter end, slowly roll up tightly into a swiss roll.
- Roll from the shorter end of the swiss roll to flatten dough. Slowly roll up from the shorter side to form a swiss roll.
- Let dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Repeat the process until you finished with the rest of the dough.
- Cut dough into 4 pieces.
To fill and shape puff
- Roll a piece of the cut dough into a circle with rolling pin.
- Put 1 Tbsp of filling in the centre.
- Brush the edge with water and fold into half. Press the edge together and seal it. This will give you a half moon shape.
- Pinch the edge of the puff with your thumb. Bring the back side forward and seal it with the front. Repeat the process. You should be able to get about 8-9 pleats.
- Heat oil in wok or deep fryer. Oil must be very hot before putting in the puff and enough to cover to the puff.
- Deep fry the puff on medium heat until golden brown.
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
Now THAT’S what a curry puff suppose to look like. I have to try your MIL’s spiral puff recipe :D
Thank you, thank you, thank you Bee for sharing this recipe. Been looking out for a spiral curry puff recipe, which doesn’t use shortening. *Muak*
Can’t wait to try it :P
ok… hmm.. i never thought the making of the skin is that easy… i have always dreaded making it on my own… and it is soooo hard to search for ‘karipap lapis’ even among vendours here in Malaysia…. the skin does make all the difference… i am so going to try this… Thanks Bee :D
Oh my bad… Thanks Siew Loon ;D
Yeah! this is what I am looking for and I can’t wait to do it. thank you so much.
Most welcome!
the pastry looks great! Have to try this!
Happy cooking
The pictures of the finished product are great. But I would prefer to see pictures of the step-by-step process. I don’t know exactly what a swiss roll looks like.
I love the pastry! I remember this sort of pastry is also used to make the kaya puff… yum!
Bee,
How many pieces in total is the yield for this recipe?
This recipe can make about 30 pieces.
Love to try this recipe out. Just one question how is the swiss roll look like?
Hope I am not the only one asking this stupid question
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85FSCsTl0lM, this site shows you the rolling of a swiss roll Check it out.
Hi there,
Just to clarify, for the Water Dough… it’s 335ml right? You had written 335g…Love your blog and the Rasa Malaysia one too! Thank you.
It is gram and I actually measure it using the digital scale.
Thank you for this recipe. I would love to prepare this for my daughter’s graduation party. Do you have a video of the process? that would be helpful instead of the swiss roll video.
I don’t at this point of time but will try to record it the next round i make it.
Thank you, I am from Penang and when I go back home, I just go out to eat all the time with my family and friends. I am sure I am going to try this receipe.
Hi,
Can u please provide step by step process pics for the spiral skin next time you make it. Would luv to try the nice looking epok-epok but cant comprehend the process only from written piece :(
Thanks
I tried this recipe. The oil dough mixture was crumbly , added a tablespoon of vegetable oil to make the flour stick. A little tedious but the result was worth it. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
If you use butter for the oil pastry, you can add 1 Tbsp of butter, ghee or vegetable oil. Some butters are not as oily but I like to use margerine as it is moist and you don’t have to add oil.
Oh. My. God.
If I get over the fear of rolling my own dough I would definitely attempt it!! Using frozen puffpastry sheets just isn’t the same!
Just made a batch for a Christmas party tomorrow. Well I changed the filling to a Thai green curry based one because I’m a heathen, but the pastry recipe is great! As one of the others mentioned the Oil pastry is crumbly as described but just add a bit of oil and it’ll come good.
Many thanks!
Nice to hear that. Merry Christmas!
Fantastic! Possibly the recipe I’ve been waiting for so long…always wondered how the spiral skin is created. Thanks so much :)!
Welcome!
This looks so delicious and mouthwatering!!! I cant wait to make this and sink my teeth into it! But I am not quite understanding the assembly of the dough …can anyone help simplify ( i know its pretty simple as is, but maybe its just me??)
Thank you so much for this recipe. My auntie made this when I was little, never got to learn how to make this….thanks!
I LOVE THE RECIPE BUT I DON’T HAVE ANY SCALE TO MEASURE INGREDIENT FOR DOUGH. CAN ANYONE HELP ME CONVERT INTO CUP , TABLE SPOON OR TEA SPOON….THANK YOU SO MUCH
Happy to learn this from your website.Also the new generation nyonya are able to rely on it, if they have not learn cooking. Will try out for my grandchildren in NZ for Chinese N Y. Tks lucy
So….excellent and crispy! Thank you for sharing.
Hello Bee,
I’ve been trying to make this “spiral” type pastry for many years, but without any success, either the dough became too tough or the “oil dough” melted away during frying. Alas! success with your MIL’s recipe, the curry puff is even crunchie when left overnight, thanks for sharing.
At your blog, some commented they would like to see some pics of the various stages of process. I’ve taken some pics of that and hope to post them on Shutterfly/Share Sites for those interested.
Thomas
Great job, thomas.